normal

I've been telling myself for months that once the social worker visit was over, my life could return to normal.

Then it was once the adoption hearing was over, my life could return to normal.

Then it was once our editor returned from vacation, my life could return to normal.

Then it was once I got the child support order changed, my life could return to normal.

Then it was once Goober got accustomed to his new school, my life could return to normal.

Then it was once my mother returned to her house, my life could return to normal.

Right now, it's once this outdoor sports trade show is over, my life could return to normal.

And I'm coming to the conclusion that this is the new normal. This massive mess of stress and obligations is what my life will be from here on out. Mostly because this week I came down with a massive bladder infection and nothing makes life more pleasant that peeing lit matches and razor blades. And then the subsequent antibiotics that give you raging diarrhea. (And I'll just stop there because I'm pretty sure you don't want to know the rest.)

But that's what it's been. Goober is not adjusting to his new school and the pace of his schoolwork. I can understand this. Last year, he was in a class that was well below the grade level he was working at. His teacher did her very best to challenge Goober -- and I am more than grateful for that -- but still... the work he was doing was first grade work and he was testing at fourth grade for reading and math. So he was able to do his work quickly and not have to think too hard, which gave him plenty of time to goof off and daydream. Now, he's working at his grade level and he has to work hard and he has to think hard. It's been very difficult for him to adjust.

As a result, Nature Boy and I have been pulled into a few parent-teacher conferences, had several back-and-forths over email and received a few phone calls at home. Ironically, he's doing well socially, which is the last thing we expected. We thought he'd do fine academically but struggle making new friends. Goes to show how much we know about our own child.

The upside of this all is that the Goober is grounded from TV for life. I'm loving it. No more arguments about what he is allowed to watch, no more begging to watch cartoons that are not parent approved, no more TV during dinner, no more distractions while homework is being done. It's beautiful.

Business at the archery shop has picked up quite a bit, but that means Nature Boy isn't home as much and I have a shit-ton of bookkeeping each night. So hooray for money coming in, but boo for not seeing my husband ever.

And the newspaper. We're gearing up for a big fifth-anniversary edition and it's eating up a lot of our time and brain power. The good news is we go to press with this on Oct. 31. The bad news is that we will be redesigning the paper and reevaluating the content once that edition hits the streets. Yippee.

The truly disturbing thing for me is that there is no expiration date on any of these crises. They will keep going, which means the current stress level of my life will keep going. So I will just get used to the new normal. Or go crazy.

I'm pretty sure it's a wash either way.