All in a Day's Work

I’ve recently been feeling kind of overwhelmed. I’m not really sure why. A lot is going on…but that is nothing unusual. So I’ve decided to outline my daily/weekly/monthly duties and see just what it is that I do and what is keeping me so busy.

As a housewife I must: clean the house, including bathrooms (Ugh!), do the laundry, prepare two nutritious and delicious meals a day, pay the bills, balance the checkbook, keep a fire going in the wood stove, feed the dog and cat and keep them out from under car tires.

As a mother of pre-schoolers I must: teach them to brush, floss, wipe, and blow their noses, recognize all of the letters of the alphabet and how to count to at least 20. I need to keep them entertained all day, make sure they eat at least one vegetable per day and keep their sippy cups clean, full and out from under the couch. I have to change diapers, monitor the TV viewing, kiss scrapes, bruises and imaginary pains, read stories, say prayers and enforce naptimes. I must know what time each cartoon comes on TV and the names of all central characters. I have to be able to transform robots into vehicles and make pacifiers stick in dolls mouths that were made to hold such devices and make sure the blankies are out of the dryer in time for bedtime.

As a mother of a 2nd grader I must: check 2 pages of homework, listen to a reading assignment and monitor piano practice each night. I also have to provide, and document, additional reading time each evening so that he can earn a free ticket to Six Flags. I have to sign various forms, provide snacks for the class, volunteer at the school twice a month and make 27 valentines. I have to teach him how to dribble a basketball and run at the same time in addition to good table manners, phone etiquette and how to safely light a match. I need to drill him on his memory verses from church and the books of the Bible, the Lord’s Prayer and the 10 Commandments. On top of all of that I have to make sure that he has time to play with his brother and occasionally the neighbor girl.

At some point I have to talk to my husband and spend time with him too. But it doesn’t end there. In order to be a good friend, family member, and productive member of my church and community I also have to: read my Bible, pray, send e-mails and cards to keep in touch with others, visit my grandmas, parents, and in-laws on a regular basis, call my siblings, and remember birthdays. At church I run the power point for 3 services a month, work in the nursery, direct all dramatic performances, and serve on the Christian Education and Creative Worship Planning committees. I also organize the curriculum for the kids in my MOPS group and attend all of the meetings. I work with the community theatre group and reduce, reuse and recycle.

As a normal human being I would like to: read a book, scrapbook, shower and sit down on occasion too. I know this is all just a “season of life” as they say and soon it will pass. But, then it will be the season for lawn mowing, potty training, vegetable canning, garden weeding and all the while cheering the boys on at 3 baseball games a week. It never ends. No wonder I’m exhausted. The really amazing thing is that some people do all this and hold down a full time job. Could I cut some of it out? Maybe. (Actually, there are two that I don’t do now, even though I should: keep the kids entertained (they’re on their own for that) and balance the checkbook.) Do I want to? Not really. I enjoy almost all of these activities, and by themselves I would love to do each one nightly to the best of my ability (well not cleaning bathrooms), but when they are all piled on each other it gets to be a little too much. And I have a husband that is great and helps me out a lot! I don’t know what single parents do. In conclusion…what am I doing sitting here typing on the computer? I’ve got work to do!!

(Ironically, my body does not consider all of the above activities “strenuous exercise” so I still have to workout three times a week in order not to become a fat pig while running myself ragged.)