Shifting traffic

One of the ways the authorities attempt to deal with the overwhelming traffic here in DC is to change the direction of various roads during rush hour. On my way home from work today I watched as DC Police worked on making Rock Creek Parkway a one way street to accommodate rush hour traffic. There seemed to be an army of them closing off various roads and redirecting traffic. It seems rather dangerous at times to not exactly know when the changeover has happened. Can I use that lane yet? Will there be traffic coming the other way still or is it all clear? After the switch on Rock Creek Pkwy it really can get confusing as you actually use the "wrong" side of the road. On a major roadway by my house, a six lane major avenue, the traffic switches from 3 lanes each way during the day to 4 and 2 lanes each way during rush. I've often seen people using the middle lane as a turn lane only to get into big trouble when the traffic rushes at them from the opposite way. It can be very confusing. On the other hand, it is a huge help to the traffic around here which is unbearable (and I say that as a former New Yorker).

It occurred to me today that life is sometimes like that shifting traffic. One day things seem to be going a certain way, but then it shifts and the roads you thought you knew no longer ran the same way and if you stay too long in one lane trying to figure it out, you get smashed. That was kind of how it was when I got his job in June. My life was going along fine when the lanes suddenly changed and all I thought I knew about what I wanted for my life shifted. Now I am trying to think about next year when I plan to attend seminary part time while still working. I need to keep working both to keep learning about life as church staff and for the money. Daycare costs way too much. Only I couldn't wrap my mind around how I could go to school and work while only having C in daycare three days a week. Why three? Because she's three years old and I always thought of age as a good indicator of how many days a week a child should be in preschool. And to be honest I also still think of myself as a stay at home mom. Sure I work part time, but I'm still home a lot.

When DH and I were discussing this the other day suddenly the traffic shifted and it became clear that what we really needed to do was put C in school full time. This is a big jump for me. It is not something I ever wanted to do, but if I am to get through school, then I must have the time to do the work. If C is home this will not happen. Q will be in all day Kindergarten so that is not an issue for us. When I finish school I still intend to get a part time position so I can be home part time. But for right now being a part time worker and part time student means I need full time childcare. This decision has made me rethink other things and I am looking into whether I can change the present day care arrangement from two days a week to three days a week. It is just too difficult to try to juggle everything with only two child free days.

Now that the traffic has shifted the way looks fairly clear but I am on the lookout for oncoming cars.