We have never been creatures of habit. I’ve always marveled at and admired the kind of people who set a daily schedule for themselves and their family and then stick to it every day. Even when my life should have been very routine, I always ended up going to bed at a different time every night or packing a different lunch every day or driving a different way to work. But still. Before we moved, the kids and I had work or school every weekday and our lives were filled enough that we inevitably fell into a schedule.

But in our new life, everything seems to be up for grabs. Every month when Tim gets his schedule for the next month, I’ll sit down and map out my work days and our homeschool days for the upcoming month. I have to fit in 20 hours of work every week, and I’m aiming for at least 16 days of homeschooling every month. So every day is some different combination of my work, Tim’s work and homeschooling for the kids. I try to make sure that every week we get at least one day that we all have off together, so we’ve got time to explore the island and have some fun together as a family. We’ve abandoned the difference between weekends and weekdays. If anything, I’m inclined to schedule our days off for weekdays, when everything is a little less crowded.

But we are still finding some measure of routine. The kids know what a day of homeschooling means and Tim and I aren’t scrambling to figure out every minute of a homeschooling day. I’m still learning how to schedule my work to maximize my chance to connect with my co-workers and still balance my responsibilities at home. And Tim is getting a feel for a new base and a new company. We are also officially a soccer family now, so we’ve got practices and games that we’re committed to every week.

It’s surprising that even with my reduced hours at work and Tim’s much more manageable schedule, we still feel like our days are filled before we’ve even had a chance to start all the things we’d like to do with the day. And at the rate that we’re unpacking boxes, we’ll still have boxes left in three years.

But for myself, I’m beginning to remember the things that I used to do just for the sheer joy of it. I’m remembering that I used to enjoy cooking for more than just basic sustenance. I’ve been reading books that have been on my ‘To be read’ list for years – the kinds of books that require a little more mental engagement than I’d been able to manage. I’m getting the chance to know our kids in a far deeper way. And we’re having fun – snorkeling and swimming and painting and cooking.

I recently finished a book called a Brave Learner. The author, Julie Bogart, talks about the difference between schedule and routine. A schedule is a timeline that you must adhere to. A routine is a set of safety rails that can help you keep on course, while still leaving the door open for opportunity. I’d like to aim for routine, and actively seek out the adventures that come our way. That may mean it takes longer to get our house unpacked.

I can live with that.