trying

I am going to start by apologizing that my post for today is so late. I'll admit that I am frazzled and busy. I can also tell you that I tried to post last night but after an unexplained computer shut-down, I was sceptical that my article had posted. So at 5 AM, I checked. No post. No post and I had to get up to get the kids ready for school and get myself ready for work. I felt like crying. Actually, I felt like swearing and crying. So I did. Started the day with tears and obscenities.
This is the reality for me lately. Over-stretched and trying to get as many things done as I can. Attempting to patch up things needing repair. Hoping to provide all my kid's need and desire. Trying to live as "everyone else" does....
But I am failing. I feel overwhelmed and on the verge of tears much of the time. I am living moment to moment and stumbling through life hoping that in the years after my kiddos finish their youth, they can say they had fun, happy, love-filled childhoods. But I truly don't feel like it is working.
My kids used to be homeschooled. I was a stay-at-home mom. We lived on organic and home-grown food. We did crafts and played in the mud. They had two parents to love and provide for them. They had someone to spell off the frazzled and tired parent.
Now, they attend public school. I often work hours after school and on weekends. At times, my kids have prepackaged food in their lunches. I no longer spend hours in the backyard with kids and chickens chasing each other through the mud as I can just imagine the laundry these types of activities will burden me with. At the end of the day/weekend/morning, I am beyond frustration and am a crabby/crazy/erratic parent. A lone parent.
I am now known by my children from my cries of "I am TRYING!!!! I only have TWO hands!"
I feel guilty and tired. I am wondering if this is just the life of parents in general? Or is this exhausting situation that does not seem to let up or alleviate in anyway a symptom of living/parenting/grieving after the death of a spouse?
Again, I apologize for the late post. I am sorry that I have let those of you who rely on a voice through this path to be here when you need it. Please....bear with me.

Spilling Over

Is it just me or does anyone else feel like they are coping most of the time but then something comes up that's kind of significant, but kind of not and then you feel as lost, scared and alone as you did right back at the beginning?
...and then everything just spills over?

I was doing OK. I had started the new school year with an entirely new mandated curriculum and I was OK. I had everything planned out so that it would be fairly cruisy.

...and then I was given a second year level to plan across.

...and the stress built, but I was OK.

....and then a Huge Scary Python started visiting my chicken's cage every night (it's body is thicker than my arm).

...and I started to crack a little. Greg is the person who dealt with scary creatures.

...and then?

...then we had 10 inches of rain in two days.

...and then I discovered that all the money I've spent on drainage and fixing the problem from when it happened last time only mitigated the problem: there was water seeping into my garage again.

....and suddenly, I really wasn't OK.

All of these stresses suddenly became insurmountable: too much for me to deal with.

...and meanwhile, I'm determinedly 'coping' lest my boss think I wasn't coping and take away work.

...and my friends are telling me how strong I am (when they don't see me weeping in the shower at midnight).

But then, Just One Person does something positive for me, without me needing to beg and suddenly I can cope again. I can pick up the pieces and keep moving forward.