Tired

I am tired and worn out. It has been difficult trying to juggle everything in my life and I'm starting to feel the burnout of it. Before I can really explain it, I suppose I should start with the major changes that have taken place in my life since I lost blogged.

My father-in-law died.
We now own a house.
My parents have moved across the country and now live half a block away.
Grandmother-in-law lives next door to parents.
Daughter has started high school.
Oldest son started junior high.
Youngest son has been diagnosed with ADHD.
I have gone back to school.

Otherwise life is about the same. The problem is that trying to juggle all of these things, while getting my kids tot heir activities, and trying to find time to help update and edit Chris' website (which I love to do, don't get me wrong) leaves me feeling as if I have very little time for myself. So much so, that I want to simply weep most nights.

My children are the biggest issue right now. I understand that kids are going to go through a teenage "angst" period, but it seems that they are out of control.

My daughter is openly defiant, she will not bring home her homework, she does not do her chores, she is mouthy towards both Chris and I and she screams nearly constantly at her brothers.

My oldest son is a bit better, but he is often argumentative with me or his father, he hits his brother and never stops trying to goad the other kids into a fight. I have never seen such bickering between children in my entire life.

The youngest son doesn't listen, he is physically aggressive with the other kids, he is too aggressive with the animals. He uses language that is way inappropriate.

I am falling apart at the seams over my kids. I don't know how to make them listen. I don't know how to impress on them the importance of getting their chores and homework done. I just don't know. I am tired of it and something has to give.