Cabin Fever

The week of Feb 16^th I was unable to make it to class because of car troubles. We were without a car for ten days, which caused us to become very creative about how to get where we needed to go (i.e. work the grocery stores, and school). I have prided myself on being in class every day even on my special day, --my birthday. I also can't really miss any class because we only meet for like eight weeks. Missing that one day for me was like being absent for two. What I should've done was taken that time to get ahead with my school work, but I was too worried about the car to do anything. It was difficult because I had to do my best to entertain the boys because they were getting cabin fever. We did a lot of dancing, and playing. Then things got a little crazy when we ran out of food for Mooky to eat (remember… he's a very picky 2 ½ year old toddler). He only wants to eat what he wants and he doesn't care if he has to starve to do it! It's always a battle of wills when it comes to him and food. It really got on my nerves, but I dealt with it by making him toast and bacon for breakfast one morning. He is stern about his likes and dislikes that he looked at the toast and handed it back to me. He refused to eat it because he wanted "JELL-O" on it! For those of you who don't speak toddler…I realized what he meant was jelly. I carried out his demand and he was happy. However, now he always wants "JELL-O" on his toast.

All of my help

Although it may seem that because I currently do not have a job I can do all my schoolwork in a timely fashion, this is not the case for me. Being a stay-home-dad with my sons would be an absolute breeze if I were not a student; however, I do attend school. I don't really have any feasible time to do any of my homework. Many times I will try to read while the boys are taking their nap, but lately their schedules have not been in sync with one another. Sometimes I will even try to do some work after the boys are down for the night, but I am often too tired by then. I am pretty spent after all the day's playing, cooking, cleaning, refereeing, etc. At that point I really don't have the energy to focus on homework, I just want to sit and relax and watch TV. Don't get me wrong … I am not writing this to complain because the truth is I have a very supportive family. They have been a major part of a new studying routine that may work. On the weekends, my wife takes care of the boys for about three hours while I am at the library. When at the library I try and do as much as I can and then make my way back home. Also, on Tuesdays and Fridays my mother and sister are available to watch "Mooky" and "Meatball" if I need to do some work. Occasionally I am even able to use those times away to catch a few winks, which I didn't really believe in naps until recently. I know that I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family that helps out the way they do. Being in school at this stage in my life does present more challenges than a traditional student may have to overcome. Yet the interesting part is that I am now more equipped to handle things that come my way better than the first time around.

It’s my party and I do what I have to.

My birthday is coming up! Recently, I have been thinking about how to celebrate my birthday. This year my birthday falls on a weekday and not the weekend. I've never been the type of person who goes out to clubs or parties, I have always loved to stay at home and do my own thing. Even as a first-time college student I'd opt to chill in my dorm room while there would be parties on campus or free shuttle rides to clubs. I only went to a total of 5 parties and/or club events during my college career in New Orleans. So here I am now another year with a major difference, I have kids. I know that most people my age would take a vacation day or celebrate in some kind of extravagant way, but that is not my style. However, I'm not going to lie and say that I don't want anything because I do. Yet my mind and funds are more focused on my youngest son having a wonderful first birthday party at the end of this month.

Mornings

I am not a morning person. I, repeat, am not a morning person. I never have been and I never will be a morning person. Each day at 6 AM, “Meatball” wakes up very hungry. Fortunately, I am allowed to sleep until about 7AM because my wife is awake to give him a bottle. I normally get up after lying in the bed for about 10 to 20 minutes praying that “Mooky” does not wake up. It is easier for me to feed “Meatball” his breakfast of baby food or toast (depending on his mood) without “Mooky” distracting him. Then I like to lie around with “Meatball.” “Mooky” is more like me because he too is not a morning person. He does not like to be woken up prior to him getting up on his own, which is around 8AM. When “Mooky” wakes up that is when the fun really begins. “Mooky” has eczema and needs to be moisturized about three to four times a day. As soon as he gets up I have to put Eucerin cream on him, dress him, and get him on the potty. Some days this order may vary. Then “Mooky” and I have breakfast while struggling to keep our food out of the reach of “Meatball.” Once we finish our breakfast I must make the decision of whether to relax, do chores, or complete my school work. I thought that flashes in my mind amongst these options is to go back to sleep. Yet I cannot because if I fall asleep on the kids something will happen where either one or both of them will get hurt. Both household chores and class work are very undesirable choices, but there is a method to my madness in choosing what to do. If the boys are quietly watching T.V. then I both options are on the table so I do whichever of the two I feel is best. Then when the boys are napping I do the other. Yet I have heard that while kids nap parents should do the same, but I don’t like to take naps. I would just rather go to bed early and savor that sweet silent rest that has been elusive throughout my day

Break with no break

Today I did some of my homework and managed my home responsibilities. First, I read the gospel of Matthew and took notes. Then I cooked breakfast and made sure the boys had lunch. In addition, I made burgers for dinner (my wife helped too). I was also able to get in a little time to play my PlayStation 2. Despite all my best efforts I still ran into some difficulties in my day.

My oldest son "Mooky," the two-year-old, refused to eat anything that we provided for him. He repeatedly told my wife and I that he was in fact hungry but unwilling to take what we were offering. He lack of nourishment and sheer frustration with us fueled his foul mood. By the time my wife began working on our taxes, I needed some fresh air. The food war with my son finally got to me. "Meatball," the eleven-month-old, was taking a nap so my wife suggested that I just take a drive to clear my mind.

While I was getting dressed to leave "Meatball" woke up and "Mooky" was saying, "socks and shoes on." He wanted to leave with me which defeated the point of me leaving in the first place. I put my own feelings to the side then I put his socks and shoes on so we could leave the house together. I took that time to go to the library to return a past due Thomas (his favorite character that we must watch each day) DVD.

I intended on just staying at home today, but with "Mooky" my plans don't mean a thing!

I love him anyhow.

Looking back and moving forward

It has been almost 8 years since I first attended Dillard University in New Orleans, LA. During that time up until now a lot has change for me. When I left Dillard back in 2003 one thing that I knew was that I needed to finish school. Yet at the time I didn't know how I was going to be able to get my degree. I had a balance with Dillard and could not attend another college until that debt was paid. I would constantly think about what was I going to do. I needed to get a job. I did get employment; however, I was not making enough to pay any bills and my college tuition debt as well as student loans. In 2006, I was working at US Airways as a Parts Clerk as a recently married man with a new born baby living in my mother's apartment. Less than a year later I was promoted to Manager and moved my family from my mom's. I began thinking about going back to school when my wife started working for a Historically Black College in the city.

In the back of my mind I was always interested in finding out about school programs for employees' families at her school, but a year later I lost my job. I then fell into the job of being a stay at home dad (we could not afford daycare anymore). I did what I had to do for my family and once again placed my desire to go to school on hold. In addition, within two months of losing my job my wife and I found out we were pregnant again. I didn't know how I would be able to attend school with two babies under the age of 2 and make it off of 1 income, but my thoughts were still on going to school and finishing my degree.

In 2008, God was telling me it was time for me to finish what I started back in 2001 because Dillard some how wrote off my debt (I suspect it had something to do with Hurricane Katrina). Then one day on the radio I heard about the Adult Degree program at Belmont Abbey College and I went to their informational session. I learned that they offered classes at night or on the weekends, in addition, to affordable costs. I went home and told my wife that I wanted to go to Belmont so I could stay at home with the boys during the day and attend classes at night. Surprisingly she said, "let’s make it happen!" And we did. I am now in my second semester at Belmont Abbey. This blog is going to be about me as an adult student and a stay at home parent.