I woke this morning to the sound of the kids getting themselves up and ready. The official start of our gratitude experiment.
I stayed in bed and listened to patter of feet going downstairs and the start of making lunches.
It wasn't long before voices were raised and things were being slammed on the counter. I then heard, "It's Mom's week off and she's trying to sleep! Just stop it McKenna!"
It had only been five minutes and already intervention was needed. But then again, this was my vacation from "work" not "parenting."
It had only been five minutes and already intervention was needed. But then again, this was my vacation from "work" not "parenting."
I go downstairs to discover one child couldn't find their lunch box (meaning it hadn't been emptied from Friday and they didn't have their hot or cold lunch containers) and so they were trying to steal containers from someone else so that they could warm up left-overs. To top it off that child was stomping around the kitchen blaming me that the lunch box could not be found. Apparently everything is my fault when something is misplaced. (Let me add here that this same child got off the bus later that day with their lunch box in hand...interestingly they had left it at school over the weekend! Totally my fault right!)
On the positive side McKenna did empty the dishwasher thanks to a friendly reminder from Abby. And then Abby even loaded in breakfast dishes, wiped down the counters and straightened up the couch and pillows. Even with the lunchbox drama, the kids did a great job of getting up and ready. And I was even left with a clean house to enjoy while they were off at school.
During those school hours I caught myself wanting to clean or organize something...anything! But instead forced myself to let it all go. This was only day one...how in the world am I supposed to keep this up? On the positive side it forced me to do thing that sometimes in the busyness of it all I don't do as often as I should. I worked out for an hour. I sat and read books with Grayson and Gavin for a very long time, I even read my own book during daylight hours...it was awesome! And then the Lord even gave me a little gift.
Grayson was having a hard time taking his nap. So I went upstairs, got him out of bed, went to my room and snuggled up with him on my bed. He was this little ball in the crock of my arms. He was still and quite, two things he seldom is. Within a few minutes he was asleep. Yep, this little boy of mine that doesn't like to be held anymore, that has a motor that never stops, he fell asleep in my arms. It was heavenly. I smelled his hair. I kissed the top of his head. I ran my fingers across the contour of his hands. I patted his little bum. I savored the moment.
The kids came home from school and started to do their thing. Snacks getting pulled out, papers from backpacks getting emptied, homework getting done. Except none of that after school mess got cleaned up. Abby got home from school and walked in the kitchen, rolled up her sleeves and said, "Ok, time for me to start cleaning." I quickly pulled her aside and told her that his little "vacation" of mine was not so that she could step up and do everything in my place. We don't want everything to get done because we have an extremely responsible and oldest daughter who really likes things clean and orderly. That's not the lesson we're hoping to instill in all this.
The afternoon continued on. I fed Grayson dinner. McKenna made herself some top roman before heading out to basketball tryouts. About 6:45 Abby decided she was hungry so warmed up a Costco muffin we had in the freezer. Gavin saw her and decided he wanted the same thing but he added an apple with it. At 7:00 Zachary came up for air from his book he'd been submerged in and asked what was for dinner. I looked at him and said, "I don't know, what is for dinner?" He smiled and said, "Oh yah, right." He walked over to the pantry and made himself some top roman.
At this point I start to feel so guilty thinking about how my children are eating top roman noodles and Costco muffins for dinner. Somebody please tell me there is at least some nutrients to be food in those food items.
When the kids got to bed this is the state of my house: No dishes got done. The pot of top roman noodles are still on the stove. Muffin crumbs are covering the kitchen table. Papers are on the table and under the table. Markers are everywhere. Dishes cover the counters and the island. Celery is still on the island with an open jar of peanut butter next to it. Wrappers are on the kitchen floor, toys all around, books and papers strewn all over the place.
And I walk away from it all wondering what day two is going to bring.
This is what the kitchen looked like when Abby got home and was ready to roll up her sleeves to get to work.
Later that night after "dinner"
On the positive side McKenna did empty the dishwasher thanks to a friendly reminder from Abby. And then Abby even loaded in breakfast dishes, wiped down the counters and straightened up the couch and pillows. Even with the lunchbox drama, the kids did a great job of getting up and ready. And I was even left with a clean house to enjoy while they were off at school.
During those school hours I caught myself wanting to clean or organize something...anything! But instead forced myself to let it all go. This was only day one...how in the world am I supposed to keep this up? On the positive side it forced me to do thing that sometimes in the busyness of it all I don't do as often as I should. I worked out for an hour. I sat and read books with Grayson and Gavin for a very long time, I even read my own book during daylight hours...it was awesome! And then the Lord even gave me a little gift.
Grayson was having a hard time taking his nap. So I went upstairs, got him out of bed, went to my room and snuggled up with him on my bed. He was this little ball in the crock of my arms. He was still and quite, two things he seldom is. Within a few minutes he was asleep. Yep, this little boy of mine that doesn't like to be held anymore, that has a motor that never stops, he fell asleep in my arms. It was heavenly. I smelled his hair. I kissed the top of his head. I ran my fingers across the contour of his hands. I patted his little bum. I savored the moment.
The kids came home from school and started to do their thing. Snacks getting pulled out, papers from backpacks getting emptied, homework getting done. Except none of that after school mess got cleaned up. Abby got home from school and walked in the kitchen, rolled up her sleeves and said, "Ok, time for me to start cleaning." I quickly pulled her aside and told her that his little "vacation" of mine was not so that she could step up and do everything in my place. We don't want everything to get done because we have an extremely responsible and oldest daughter who really likes things clean and orderly. That's not the lesson we're hoping to instill in all this.
The afternoon continued on. I fed Grayson dinner. McKenna made herself some top roman before heading out to basketball tryouts. About 6:45 Abby decided she was hungry so warmed up a Costco muffin we had in the freezer. Gavin saw her and decided he wanted the same thing but he added an apple with it. At 7:00 Zachary came up for air from his book he'd been submerged in and asked what was for dinner. I looked at him and said, "I don't know, what is for dinner?" He smiled and said, "Oh yah, right." He walked over to the pantry and made himself some top roman.
At this point I start to feel so guilty thinking about how my children are eating top roman noodles and Costco muffins for dinner. Somebody please tell me there is at least some nutrients to be food in those food items.
When the kids got to bed this is the state of my house: No dishes got done. The pot of top roman noodles are still on the stove. Muffin crumbs are covering the kitchen table. Papers are on the table and under the table. Markers are everywhere. Dishes cover the counters and the island. Celery is still on the island with an open jar of peanut butter next to it. Wrappers are on the kitchen floor, toys all around, books and papers strewn all over the place.
And I walk away from it all wondering what day two is going to bring.
This is what the kitchen looked like when Abby got home and was ready to roll up her sleeves to get to work.
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