bailiwick /n./ a person's area of skill, knowledge, authority, or work; domain, sphere or territory. area of influence. turf.
bailiwick /n./ 1. My bailiwick as a mother has once again been invaded by the school, as my children went back to school this week and are now in the the classroom for 6 hours a day. I tried to have a good attitude this year, but by Friday I was worn out and wishing for our long summer days and a good game of Bohnanza.
bailiwick /n./ 2. Our "down time" has been filled with the Olympics. Which. I. Love. I was even going to write a post last week about my not-so-secret crush on Bob Costas. (I just about died when he made his quip about the dip in the Yangtze. But I digress.) Anyway, I love the Olympics for so many reasons, but especially to see people competing and dreaming and working hard in their own particular bailiwick. I love that somebody is as passionate about badminton as somebody else is about swimming the 400 IM. I love that track cycling has its own language and equipment and technique, and so does trampolining and pole vaulting. And I also love to see all those athletes lined up on the track or in their sculls or on their bikes, all those colors and races and flags, all of them different and all of them the same. I get completely choked up.
And my kids have really caught the Olympic spirit as well...making a poster and "medals" to celebrate. I won one for making breakfast last week.
bailiwick /n./ 3. My bailiwick at church has changed in the last little bit. I was released (though my heart thought it felt a bit more like "ripped" than "released") from working with the young women in my ward and given a new assignment to teach Gospel Doctrine. I know. David is pleased as punch. My first lesson is this coming Sunday. RIM and CIM are both convinced it will be a disaster. I am inclined to agree.
bailiwick /n./ 4. With the start of school, it is also time (at least for me) to think about what activities my kids are going to be involved in this year. This becomes an overwhelming exercise in balance, as I try to balance my kids' interests, our time, the budget, the practicing commitment each activity will require, how much I really want to be in the car, and what I think each child "needs." This has only gotten harder as my kids' interests have grown and expanded. Olivia came home the other day and announced that she wants to learn to play the viola. "What about the piano?" I asked. She replied that you can't get out of class to go to orchestra with your friends if you play the piano. Oh. I keep telling David I would appreciate some input, but he clearly thinks this falls under my bailiwick. Naturally.
We have a back-to-school tradition...the Saturday after we finish (whew!) the first week of school we go out to breakfast and do a review of the week: highs and lows, what they're excited for, what they're most worried about, everyone gets a turn. It was so good to be around a table together.