Something almost magical happens at 9:15 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings.
The busied pace of the past three and a half hours has slowed. The waking, feeding, dressing, and shuttling of children is done for the morning. Lunches have been packed, bags have been prepped, hair has been "handsomed" up, and everyone has gotten to where they need to be. By now we've driven Gracie to choir and then come back home, driven Luke to school and then come back home, and then walked Drew to school and come back home. The breakfast mess has been cleaned up, the first load of laundry for the day has been started, and Katie is settled in her crib for her morning nap.
And, with that, all of the sudden it is so very quiet in the house.
I love our noisy, busy, crazy little family of six, but every now and then it is wonderful to stop everything for just a bit. To sip coffee while browsing Pinterest, to write, to work on a project around the house without little fingers trying to help, or to talk to a friend or my mom on the phone without interruption is heavenly.
I occasionally feel guilty about this time, like it is just one step short of the stereotype of stay at home moms and that I just need some Bon Bons and a soap opera to complete the picture. But usually I realize that it is OK, that the breaks make me a better mom because I get to recharge for a minute. I don't mind all of the housework when it is not all there is in my day. I have more patience with the kids when I have gotten to spend some time with myself. And when Ben is traveling (like this week), it feels especially important to appreciate the hour of solitude as the gift that it is.
This is pretty much the perfect time to say, once again, how grateful I am for this time of my life. I know not every woman wants to or gets to take a break from her career to stay at home to raise her kids. But I do, and for that I feel so blessed. Thank you, Ben, for working so hard for our family. It does not go unnoticed.
The busied pace of the past three and a half hours has slowed. The waking, feeding, dressing, and shuttling of children is done for the morning. Lunches have been packed, bags have been prepped, hair has been "handsomed" up, and everyone has gotten to where they need to be. By now we've driven Gracie to choir and then come back home, driven Luke to school and then come back home, and then walked Drew to school and come back home. The breakfast mess has been cleaned up, the first load of laundry for the day has been started, and Katie is settled in her crib for her morning nap.
And, with that, all of the sudden it is so very quiet in the house.
I love our noisy, busy, crazy little family of six, but every now and then it is wonderful to stop everything for just a bit. To sip coffee while browsing Pinterest, to write, to work on a project around the house without little fingers trying to help, or to talk to a friend or my mom on the phone without interruption is heavenly.
I occasionally feel guilty about this time, like it is just one step short of the stereotype of stay at home moms and that I just need some Bon Bons and a soap opera to complete the picture. But usually I realize that it is OK, that the breaks make me a better mom because I get to recharge for a minute. I don't mind all of the housework when it is not all there is in my day. I have more patience with the kids when I have gotten to spend some time with myself. And when Ben is traveling (like this week), it feels especially important to appreciate the hour of solitude as the gift that it is.
This is pretty much the perfect time to say, once again, how grateful I am for this time of my life. I know not every woman wants to or gets to take a break from her career to stay at home to raise her kids. But I do, and for that I feel so blessed. Thank you, Ben, for working so hard for our family. It does not go unnoticed.
Comments