Let me just start by saying that we just had a disgusting week weather-wise here in West Virginia. It has been cold and rainy and just plain dreary! I love fall, but I'm not a huge fan of the gross days that make you just want to lie on the couch and do nothing but watch television, eat soup, and nap! So when I realized what verse I was studying, I knew that it was going to be another week of not taking it literally... Proverbs 31:17 says, "First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started."
For those of you who don't know, I am a stay-at-home mom who nannies four days a week. So between my almost one year-old, and the two year-old I watch, I pretty much spend my entire day on the floor playing or in the kitchen making snacks except for the forty-five minutes of peace around 3 o'clock when the boys are both asleep. My work doesn't require business suits, dresses, or even jeans. To dress for my work, my hair doesn't have to be perfect and I don't have to wear makeup, jewelry, and heels. In fact, I rarely wear makeup or jewelry, and never wear heels anymore. Such is the life of a mom! My work uniform typically consists of yoga or sweat pants, a t-shirt that is okay to marker on, and whatever pair of socks I have left in my drawer after forgetting to do laundry that week. My hair is always in a messy ponytail, and I'm not talking about the newly-stylish messy, but the I-slept-with-my-hair-up-so-it-might-as-well-stay-up messy ponytail. There is, indeed, a difference. I still like to look nice when my husband gets home from work and try to make sure I am fairly presentable when I go out in public. I haven't lost any self-confidence, and I am still very proud of the way God has formed me, but my priorities have changed. Making sure the diaper bag is packed is way more important than putting makeup on. And having a fun activity for the boys to do that day is more of a priority to me than straightening my hair. So for me, dressing for work is more of a mental thing than an appearance issue.
When I wake up in the morning, I go. I don't have time to sit and sip coffee quietly by myself, or to read while relishing in a quiet home. When I try to plan on waking up early so that I can take pleasure in such things, my son instinctively knows and wakes up at the exact same time. Needless to say, I have given up on early-rising to get time to myself. I depend on naps for that one! From the moment my feet hit the floor, I am in planning and tackling mode. Some days I may not plan as much as others, but there is always a plan. I can't really roll up my t-shirt sleeves, but I am always eager to get started on what the day has set before me. I don't get to sit very often when my son is awake, unless it is because he is nursing, or fell and wants to have some Mommy Cuddle Time. When the television isn't set to the Toddler Tunez music channel, it's on Disney Junior for the boys hour or two of TV time. I have a horrible habit of looking back on my day and saying I did nothing, and I always think I have just been lazy. I am just as bad as the people that think I am the stereotypical stay-at-home mom that accomplishes nothing in her day. So I decided to spend this week looking back on my day and noting my accomplishments to myself. I honestly never realized how much I do get done in one day, and how much I completely ignore myself. Here is what I have noted that my typical day looks like:
Wake up when my son starts yelling whatever random sounds he has learned that week while playing with his animals in his crib. Try to (hurriedly and half-asleep) put on clothing that semi-matches. Get my son from his crib, change his diaper, and go downstairs. Get my son's breakfast ready while he cleans to my legs yelling "mama" because you know he is just STARVING! Feed him, then attempt to make my own breakfast while he plays and while also being distracted by things that need cleaned up in the kitchen. Finally sit down to eat my breakfast, and immediately get the tug that means "It's nursing time!" Nurse son, then reheat cold breakfast and just eat it standing in the kitchen. Playtime until son is ready to nap. Go upstairs (slowly, as son takes his sweet time crawling and playing with each carpeted step,) nurse son again, lay him down. Make a cup of coffee/tea and enjoy my morning quiet time, followed by a workout and shower, if time permits. Typically I get the workout in, but not the shower. Then my son wakes up, and I sometimes attempt to shower due to the previous workout, resulting in him being soaked and therefore getting dressed. (Notice I never changed him out of pajamas that morning... This is why. See, I plan!) Child I watch (we'll call him "J") arrives. Immediately I make lunch for both boys, which has to be done in a somewhat timely manner so that "J" can lay down for nap on time. Feed son while "J" feeds himself, unless he's having his occasional "feed me too!" day, in which I feed both boys with both hands at the same time. This, my friends, takes much talent. Then play with boys for a bit until "J" is ready for nap. Spend time with son until his naptime. This naptime is my key clean-up/organize time. I usually sweep, dust, mop,wipe down, do what I can to jump-start dinner, and about once a week, rest for five minutes, then son is awake. Play some more until "J" wakes up, set up some type of craft/coloring for "J" while I heat up son's dinner. Feed son while also making such "J"s things are gathered up for going home, and getting toys and books picked up, and saying goodbye to "J" for the day. Husband usually gets home, we slowly make our way back upstairs, husband does bath, I do bible story/bedtime. Then downstairs to make dinner, clean-up from the day, do dishes, and finally sit down to rest at 8 o'clock while I watch our evening shows with my husband before finally crashing into the bed that I have been dreaming about since noon.
Yes, I know that was probably annoying to read, and you probably only read two sentences, gave up, and skipped to here. I don't blame you at all. My days are full of odd and very uninteresting things. But despite me thinking that I do nothing, seeing it written out makes me realize that my day is full. I may not have a corporate job, or a full agenda, but my to-do list is massive everyday. Sprinkle in the occasional doctor's visit, trying to plan breakfast/lunch with friends, grocery shopping, and laundry, and let's just say there is a reason why I don't have time to go jogging on the trail. I think if I wore a pedometer during the day, I would be moving more in my day than I ever would jogging on the trail. Being a mom is a weight-loss plan in itself! So next time I feel like I haven't been rolling up my sleeves and eagerly taking on my day, I'll just sit down and read this blog and remind myself that just because I haven't accomplished the things that some people do in a day to check off in their handy little planners for work, I am still an accomplishment! I am embracing the role that God has set before me, and doing my best in everything that I can. Just because I have on sweats and no makeup doesn't mean I am lazy... It just means I'm too busy to worry it. And what is the sense in putting on nice clothes so that they can get smothered in markers/paint/snot/food everyday?!?
Next week, I will be combining two verses again, and will be studying on Proverbs 31:18,19, "She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day. She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking."
Blessings,
Trish
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