When Life Gets in the Way

When Life Gets in the Way

August 31st, 2010 @ 9:13 am by Mrs. Cardigan
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This past week was insane. There’s really no other way to say it. Absolutely, 100% insane.

This was my first week of student teaching, and it totally kicked my ass. Now, I’m not saying that I’m not loving it—because I am. It’s wonderful and I’m getting some amazing opportunities. But, it. Is. Exhausting.

I had big plans to finish our napkins before the next time we visit Austin in September, so I could take them to my mom’s house and reclaim my dining room table (I don’t even remember the last time we got to eat dinner at the table!). But now? I’m not so sure that’s going to happen. By the time I get home every day all I can do is collapse on the couch and try to rest up for doing it all over again the next day! Hopefully, I will adjust to the new schedule soon and be able to recover a little quicker, but for now I’m having a hard time just keeping myself awake throughout the day.

This week was hard because I was incredibly exhausted from student teaching all day and Mr. Cardigan had to work a lot. We really didn’t get to see each other all that much, and when we did see each other all I could manage was a mumbled conversation that I was only halfway paying attention to, because I was just that tired.

So, this weekend we decided to do what we always do when our crazy lives get in the way of our relationship:

We planned an at-home date night. We had a bottle of wine, a tasty meal planned, a movie from Netflix, and we were going to spend our Friday night cuddling on the couch and relaxing.

The only problem was, I kind of screwed it up. I had been trying to talk to my sister all week, but we kept missing each other, so when she called in the middle of the movie I asked Mr. Cardy to pause it so I could talk with her. Then, BM Audrey texted me and I had been dying to talk to her all week (she’s student teaching as well, so I wanted to catch up with her) and so I spent some time during the movie texting her. I really didn’t think anything of it, because I really wanted to talk to both of them. But after the movie, Mr. C let me know that he was kind of disappointed that I wasn’t completely “there” the entire time. He understood that I had a good excuse, since things had been so crazy and I hadn’t been able to connect with my friends, but he really wanted to get a chance to connect with me too, and I messed it up.

So, I called for a do-over on Saturday. I went out and bought a nice bottle of wine, and we made a fabulous dinner. Mr. Cardy made himself some Brussels sprouts:

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I really do think they look gorgeous, but I can’t stand them—this part of the meal was just for Mr. Cardigan!

And we made an AMAZING pot roast with mashed potatoes.

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I was going to take a better picture, but once the food hit the plate I got so hungry all I could think about was eating!

We popped open the bottle of wine…

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And settled in for a movie and some completely uninterrupted time together. I even made some chocolate mousse for dessert!

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Holy crap, this stuff was good!

After our date night do-over, I felt so much better. All of the stress from the week had finally melted away, and I felt like Mr. Cardy and I really reconnected. It was just what we needed. Our date nights at home never fail (as long as I don’t screw them up! ).

Now I’m ready to tackle this week, full-force. I’m going to be an amazing student teacher, a coherent fiancee, AND I’m going to get some wedding stuff done, too! I’m thinking that date nights might have to be a weekly tradition to get me through this semester alive, though!

What do you and your FI do to reconnect when life gets really crazy?

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27 Responses to “When Life Gets in the Way”

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Member

One2-Three4 (message) 129 posts, Blushing bee

How did you make chocolate mousse? Sorry, off topic, but sounds amazing - can you PM me?

8/31/10 @ 9:41 am (reply)

Member

ktisthatbees (message) 2,742 posts, Sugar bee

ahhh Cardy, i know how you feel! I desparately need to finish our napkins so our table can actually be used for eating on again! Our neighbor came to borrow some aluminum foil last night and her eyes bugged out seeing us sitting at our table with plates all scrunched in the corner trying to eat amidst yards and yards of fabric, yard stick, cutter, sewing machine. . well you get the idea. It probably looked so ridiculous! Ok, here’s the goal, we are both going to get these napkins done ASAP!

8/31/10 @ 9:46 am (reply)

Guest

Paula@DWItaly

Modern life is just nuts, isn’t it? I do exactly the same… crack open a bottle of wine and have a nice meal.

8/31/10 @ 10:06 am (reply)

Member

quirkyparsnip (message) 385 posts, Helper bee

When I student taught in the spring semester, my first week was exhausting as well, but it got way better way quick. I actually plan to be a sub and hopefully get a teaching job in B/CS next year (I’m finishing up my Masters this semester) You will get the hang of things quickly.

8/31/10 @ 10:09 am (reply)

Bee

Mrs. Trail Mix (message) 6,308 posts, Bee Keeper

Ah, yes, the joys of going back to school…It can be pretty brutal but you do build up a tolerance pretty quickly, another few weeks and you’ll be totally fine!

8/31/10 @ 10:14 am (reply)

Bee

Miss Locket (message) 2,837 posts, Sugar bee

Awww date nights are the best! We always try and plan them when we get overwhelmed…I am planning some fun for this weekend of crafting and having fun together.

8/31/10 @ 10:24 am (reply)

Member

jordynrose (message) 6,351 posts, Bee Keeper

FI and I do little mini dates throughout the month, plus technology free dinners every night. This helps us to stay grounded. P.S. Let’s have that brussel sprout recipe! They look delicious!

8/31/10 @ 10:30 am (reply)

Member

MsBunting (message) 229 posts, Helper bee

It will get easier. The first week back to school definitely requires numerous naps. We try to take one night a week where we don’t talk about the wedding. For me to not talk about the wedding, there has to be really good food involved.

8/31/10 @ 10:33 am (reply)

Guest

Deanna

Good luck with your student teaching! It’s exhausting, but one thing I do that helps me is I NEVER bring work home. Sometimes I stay at school until 6 or 7 just to get it all done, but when I go home I leave work behind. It really helps me to be “present” when I’m at home and my husband appreciates it that I can fully focus on him and our home when I’m there.

8/31/10 @ 10:38 am (reply)

10.

Member

Miss Short Dress (message) 169 posts, Blushing bee

In our pre-marital class we took our instructors told us about thier ‘cake nights’. Once a week they sit down over some cake and re-connect. They say they talk about everything, things that are bothering them, how thier weeks were, etc. My FI and I loved this idea (minus the cake since I can’t eat a whole cake every week!) but we changed it a bit and we are going to try and do a Fondue night 2 times a month. Fondue is nice because it isn’t a quick dinner and will definiately give us time to re-connect. We registered for the Fondue set for the wedding. I am excited to see if we get it.

8/31/10 @ 10:47 am (reply)

11.

Bee

Miss Glasses (message) 2,741 posts, Sugar bee

Awww. Mr. G and I have really creepy date nights where we are just typing away on our iPhones and sipping beer so I totally get it. I think our iPhones are destroying any dinner and drinks conversation. This weekend we went to a place where you deep-fry stuff at your table and since that was all-consuming of our energy we had a lot of fun, until I got way drunk and full and threw up. But I digress. I hope student teaching gets easier for you. Mr. C sounds like a really patient and understanding dude!

8/31/10 @ 10:51 am (reply)

12.

Member

kms31690 (message) 150 posts, Blushing bee

I love reading your blogs. I can relate to you so much. We are getting married February 2012 and I will be doing my student teaching next fall. Its nice to know that I’m not the only crazy person trying to plan a wedding while student teaching. haha.

8/31/10 @ 10:57 am (reply)

13.

Bee

Miss Sand Dollar (message) 1,305 posts, Bumble bee

We do the same thing. Home cooked meal and a movie. Last night we watched True Blood and folded six loads of laundry. It’s nice to just hang out sometimes.

8/31/10 @ 11:10 am (reply)

14.

Member

cc226 (message) 258 posts, Helper bee

Student teaching is the most hectic, crazy time. I did it without planning a wedding and 1/2 way through thought I would have to take another semester to finish. Good luck with it all! It will be great

8/31/10 @ 11:33 am (reply)

15.

Member

ariellebride (message) 431 posts, Helper bee

That’s great! My fiance and I have been doing Friday night “stay at home” date since before we were engaged. It consists of a workout at the gym, takeout, and a netflix. I hope we continue it long after we’re married and maybe even when we have kids. It’s something I look forward to every Friday morning!

8/31/10 @ 12:23 pm (reply)

16.

Member

musicgirl0402 (message) 6 posts, Newbee

Ah, yes, the stressful days of student teaching! Good to know I wasn’t the only crazy person to be student teaching and planning a wedding I remember the first 2 weeks of student teaching were the hardest. I was full time student teaching and working part time, plus trying to start planning the wedding (We’re getting married in November). I remember specifically during that first week I came out of work late at night to my fiancee on his back underneath my car fixing a flat tire that I had somehow gotten and I just broke down crying because of how stressed I was. Just remember to breathe in and out and have fun with the students and your fiancee You’ll look back and wonder how you got through it but still enjoyed it!

8/31/10 @ 12:29 pm (reply)

17.

Member

Swiss Miss to Bee (message) 1,004 posts, Bumble bee

skype just not the same.

8/31/10 @ 12:31 pm (reply)

18.

Member

sapphirebride (message) 1,747 posts, Bumble bee

Whenever we haven’t had enough time together, we press the pause button and cancel whatever other plans we have…often it’s an in-home date like you had where we make a nice dinner and watch a movie and spend a lot of time talking about our week. Or we’ll go out for a bite, get a drink at a bar afterward, and take a long walk through our neighborhood.

8/31/10 @ 1:21 pm (reply)

19.

Member

SandraMarie_1986 (message) 1,363 posts, Bumble bee

That is so sweet. We do the same. But you completely read my mind. I tried making a roast but it was kind of dry and not the kind of dinner I wanted. Can you PM me and tell me how you cook your roast and how you made yoru chocolate mousse? I would really appreciate it. It feels like life has been getting in the way lately too.

8/31/10 @ 3:11 pm (reply)

20.

Member

Miss Sox in the City (message) 285 posts, Helper bee

I puked and cried after my first day of student teaching. The rest of the week I just cried. While it seems that you survived the first week better than I did, it does get exponentially better/easier. I had to plan my wedding during my first year of teaching, which is also quite difficult. We try and take at least 15 minutes each day catching up with each other, without the distraction of computers, tvs, etc.

You’ll be great Miss Cardy, at teaching and wedding planning!

8/31/10 @ 3:16 pm (reply)

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