Asking for free babysitting, free money and other humbling things.

I am applying for a writing grant.  It's funny, if anyone were to tell me that they had been given a grant I would think that was very cool.  Medical research, social and cultural groups and artsy people get those.  Nice for them.  But when I decide to apply - No Way!  I haven't produced a product for which I am getting paid!  How lazy am I that I want free money to do what I love.  It's for love of books and telling a good story that I do this.  Right?  

Well love don't pay the bills, my friend.

So I got used to the idea and realized that in a couple of months when the kids go back to school I will probably need to get a job.  I'm not against that, but even if it were a part time job I would spend any extra time volunteering with the kids school, being class hepler whatnot. (Hey, they're only this little once!)  I would be tired and low on time and writing would be the first casualty.  That is still what might happen.  But if I get a grant, then I can stay home and write.  Volunteering an hour or two once or twice a week would be a nice break and my writing time per day would increase by hours.  Oh, bliss!

Sadly, by the time I came to terms with all of this I only had two days to get the request in.  Bummer!  To sit and write something that is so important to me is an emotional thing and I knew that I could not have the kids around.  I would not be nice if they interrupted because my nerves would be up.  I needed babysitting.  

Free babysitting.  (I'm poor, remember?)

So my nicey nice parents are watching kid #2 and my super busy hubby will pick up kid #1 in ten minutes so that I can sit in Starbucks and write.  It's difficult to strike a balance between giving the reasons that you feel you deserve a grant and yet not sound whiney.  I would imagine that tear stains are a no-no.  Too bad, I could have given some this morning when I held a long to do list in my hand and checked the grant deadline.  Once again, most of the list will wait.  But that's alright.  We are very good at digging our clothes out of laundry baskets and wearing sandals if there are no clean socks.  See, what I am doing is teaching college level life skills to my children.  Someday, when they are eating mac and cheese for the third time in one week in a tiny apartment, they will be thankful that mom taught them to add frozen peas.  Nutrition.  I teach it all.