Hats

Back to work has meant a lot of adjustments.  For everyone.

Currently, I hold 4 occupations with an extra 5th on the side.
Mother
Surgical Nurse 
Nursing instructor
Medical Nurse (different floor in the hospital than surgical nurse)

and
Women's Event Leader

Oh yes, it's been an adjustment. There's the childcare organizing, meal planning, errand running, transportation navigating, lunch making, bag packing, lesson planning, orientation attending and all those expected parts.

The unexpected?  Snow storms, closed bridges, 3 hour commutes, sick children, potty training toddler, un-expected mandatory meetings, etc etc.

What I am still trying to wrap my head around is the transitioning between all the hats I wear.  There is no down-time between these jobs.  I exit one door and enter the next.  I take off one hat and pick up the next.  Meanwhile, my brain and emotions are left behind- or worse, paralyzed.  I fly through the snow and beat through the traffic, exhausted from a 12 hour running around work shift and enter the doors of my home (that needs to be re-organized, cleaned and arranged).  The kids finally get to bed and I have to summon the energy to attend to the pressing demands of my upcoming teaching gig.  Each area requires a different language, a different way of thinking, a different role.

I didn't really plan on the needed transition time mentally or physically.  I feel disoriented most days.  Where am I?  Who am I?  How do I talk in this environment?  Are you my peer, or are you my child?  Are you my patient or are you my student?  Am I the authority here or am I just one of the masses?

I'm not complaining. Many of these roles can be very fulfilling and energizing.  I'm more so trying to explain the cloud I live in.  So if you talk to me and I don't know what's going on, how fast I'm supposed to be walking, or what day of the week it is- be gracious and remind me where I am!