The Prine's: September, I'm not sad to see you go...

Man, this month has been a rough one and I am glad after tomorrow we can put it behind us. This month has been full of transition, sickness, and exhaustion. Although I went back to work in mid August the students didn't start until the beginning of this month. At the core of what I do, I really love my job- teaching children- but when you add all the issues of our broken educational system in which the burden of serving so many roles-teacher, translator, social worker, doctor, etc. for all 29 of the little eight year old faces appearing in my classroom's doorway each morning feels like it is all on my shoulders it can get a little overwhelming sometimes. I have made it my goal this year to work really hard to leave work at work and to not take it to heart as much as I have in the past and I think I am doing a better job of that then I have in the past. Even Steven has noticed, so I figure I must be doing something right:).

Ava has been to the doctor 4 times this month and to the lab once. That has been a lot for Steven and I to juggle working full time as well. We have yet to get the results of her most recent tests, we should hear back tomorrow. She is still battling the bad cold she got early in the month. She gets very congested at night and coughs a lot. Yesterday she threw up an entire feeding from being so congested and coughing- poor thing. We are keeping a close eye on her and we'll see how she does in the next few days or back to the doctor we will go. Last Wednesday I spent the evening with her in urgent care due to a horrible bleeding diaper rash. She got her immunizations and they upset her tummy which then led to an awful rash. Luckily at urgent care they were able to give me some cream to help clear it up and as of today it is almost gone. The doctor could hear a bit of wheezing in her breathing, but said to just wait and see how she does for a few more days.

Since Ava has been sick and uncomfortable she has not been sleeping through the night as well as she was prior to getting sick. Thus, Steven and I have not been sleeping through the night either. We both ended up getting her cold as well. Luckily, Sophia has remained healthy through all of this! I should probably go knock on some wood now that I typed that.

All in all, none of these things are that big of a deal. Overall, Ava is a very healthy happy baby developing and growing right on track. Sophia is happy and adjusting so well to her new school. Steven and I both have good jobs that give us good insurance, a (hopefully) good retirement, a pretty comfortable life, and we get to help deserving kids in the process. But, when you combine transitioning back to work with two kids, illness and appointments, getting sick ourselves, and exhaustion it really wears you down. I have been a bundle of tightly wound nerves and I am ready for a few uneventful routine weeks. Time will tell what life may bring, but at least I know with my husband and sweet girls by my side we can face whatever life may bring and try to make the best out of it. And now for a few necessary pictures...