[another] new normal

Is it? Because I just feel tired.

I came across this photo on Pinterest the other day when I was avoiding my seemingly endless homework (as I'm also doing now, I might add). No offense to the pinner, who I do not know, but that pin about sent me over the edge. As I've already stated, I. am. so. tired.

8-10 months ago, I was planning a wedding, a move, and working full-time at a job that I was heavily invested in. So you would think (or I did think) that balancing grad school, a part-time job, and being a wife would be totally doable, right?? Wrong. In fairness, starting a new job is ALWAYS stressful, this part of the term is ALWAYS stressful, and looking for a new apartment is ALWAYS stressful. So I probably should have been more emotionally prepared for all of that. 

A few lessons I've learned so far:

• Life does go on even if your house isn't clean all the time. On that note, my husband apparently isn't a mind-reader (I know, I'm the first woman to stumble across that little gem). To assume really does make an ass out of you and me. Just ASK for help. And be specific. 
• Just because I'm trained to be a public health professional and am armed to the teeth with the education, resources, and money to afford and prepare good food does not mean that it is humanly possible for my family to have a healthy, well-balanced meal on the table every. single. night. On the days that I'm gone from 7:30 AM-7:30 PM (class, class, work, and more class), there are many, many thoughts going through my head on the way home, not one of which includes, "I wonder what wonderful meal I should prepare for my family tonight!?". We grabbed a pizza last Tuesday night, and that just makes me human. We will continue to eat healthy, well thought-out meals 5 nights out of 7, and for now, that's just going to have to be good enough.
• ALL of my homework, projects, presentation prep, etc. NEEDS to happen on the weekend. Similar to above, when I get home, just formulating coherent thoughts in my head is a challenge, let alone formulating grad school level thoughts appropriate to put on paper. My brain is mush at the end of most weekdays.
• EVERYBODY else's life is just as difficult. If not more so. I have a coworker who is a full-time student, part-time employee, and a wife and mom of 3. Oh, and she's training for a marathon on the side. Maybe I should stop whining. 

We have A LOT of life happening to us right now. But, we are so thankful for all the ways we've been blessed over the course of the past year. That being said, spring break is just 3 weeks away and I am counting down the days.

Back to my case study... sigh.