I Hate January. (Officially)

Here we are seven days into February and I can already tell that the month is going to be far more kind to our family than January.  I can say for certain that I got a real test of just how hard it is being a working mother.  I had the ability to stay home with my children for seven years, so I have never had to experience just how hard it really is.  I can say right now that I have the utmost respect for those mothers that have known nothing different than being a working mother.  It is NOT easy. Not even a little bit.  I had it pretty easy being a working mom for the first four months on my new career path, but January showed no mercy to me in this area.  With January comes snow, cold, inversions, and above all... ILLNESS!   If its going around, you can bet that my family was hit with it in January.  Poor Sam receiving the brunt of it.  Being a working mom, accompanied by sick kids, and a job that has a lot of responsibility hanging overhead daily made for a very high stress month.  So high stress that I'll admit I had a meltdown.  Not just a minor scream and quickly pull it together meltdown, but rather a sink into a kitchen chair, look around at my house in shambles, glance and my super sick boy, and sob uncontrollably.  A meltdown caused by feeling so helpless and overwhelmed.  The lack of sun didn't make it any easier.  Bill and the kids sat back and watched this meltdown unfold and quickly came to my rescue.  Dishes got done, floor got vacuumed, and I relaxed a little.  Bill shared in the stay at home with sick kids duties, along with help from some awesome family.  I seriously wouldn't have made it through this month had it not been for those so willing to tend to my responsibilities while I was unable to.  My kids come first, Always, but when you have an additional 40+ kids who count on you everyday its really hard to juggle.  The mommy in me just wanted to be home with my boy, but the responsible teacher me knew that I had to make that sacrifice of leaving him with someone else in order to pull through for those students and paying parents.  What hit me the hardest this month was those times that I couldn't be home caring for my boy.  I felt anxious and antsy every second I had to spend away from him and not because I didn't trust those who were doing the tending, but because I know that it's just not the same as when Mom is there offing the snuggles and administering the meds.  I felt guilty with every passing minute.  I knew that these sick kids moments would happen, I just didn't anticipate it to the extent that it hit us in January.  Really, what kid gets Influenza, Strep, and Scarlet Fever in under a two week span?  It just wasn't fair.  All this now past us and everyone in the household on the mend, I have yet to reach the point of "look back and laugh about it."  Not sure I ever will.  January did not treat us well and now that I look back on all the January's I can recall I don't think they have ever treated me well.  I am sure many can agree that January is hands down the hardest month to get through, but I have never until now had that overwhelming hatred for a four week span of time.  I hate January, and I now think I ALWAYS will.  

On another note... It's now February.  Valentines day is creeping up VERY quickly.  What do you have planned for the loves in your life?  I've been pulling together several festive things in my world.  14 days of gifting for the kids and then their valentines for school.  They are coming together well and I CAN'T WAIT to unveil the finished products.