No Weekends for Moms - So What?

I can't help I still anticipate weekends. I hurry through Wednesday, watch my favorite TV shows on Thursday night, and finally - the glorious Friday finally arrives!

 

 

 

Ummm. Wait.

 

What the heck?! I am still doing all the usual stuff I do during the week. Where is mom's weekend? Do I sleep in? No. Do I get a break from household chores? No. If we run out of something, does someone else go pick it up? No. Does someone else clean? No. Does someone else cook meals? No.

 

Sigh.

 

To top it off, I had a long laundry list (oh, wait our wash machine is broken to top it off - joy!) of things to accomplish this Saturday with my husband working and also having a scheduled long run of 9 miles to complete at some point. However, one of my kids came down with a fever, snots and cough last night which hasn't gotten any better today.

 

After a quick breakfast of pancakes I pre-made a day ago, I smooched my husband on his way out to work, envious nonetheless, and hunkered down for an awesome Saturday trapped in the house. I groaned at the thought of it.

 

I sat in my "mama chair" for a little while, still crusty, bra less and crabby. I put on 101 Dalmatians for the kids, which we never do. They sat for a solid 15 minutes before getting bored and I was soon welcomed by two pink cheek faces at the foot of my chair.

 

"Ok, ok. " I thought to myself. This is ridiculous. Just because we can't go anywhere doesn't mean the whole day is ruined. I shook it off. I played with the kids for an hour or so, I tried to get my oldest to eat. I succeeded with an entire green apple.

 

I cleaned all the floors in the house, did the dishes, and picked up the bedrooms.

 

I took a shower, did my hair, and suddenly my day wasn't seeming so gloomy after all. Both kids where in great moods and I was clean! Those are two things I can't always count on...

 

When I take care of the things I need to in a day, it just can't turn out bad. If I would have sat in my chair all morning, waiting for Pete to come home, only to be re-crabby when he left for his run, I would have no good thoughts about this day.

 

But, I recognize this error in myself, to get all cranked up for no good reason at all, and I chose to make a better day out of day that was looking to be pretty ordinary.

 

After playing, we ate a "super special lunch" consisting of chicken tenders, cheese sticks, carrots and Popsicles. I made M&M cookies to kill some time, and I gave both the kids a bath. Which, I think, made them feel a whole lot better, too.

 

Post-bath silliness.

James started to wind down pretty fast and I put him down for his nap. David and I played with toys downstairs for a bit and cuddled under a big blanket, still wiping snot from his nose.

 

David went down for his nap shortly after James and now I am sitting in the peace and quiet of no husband, no kids, and no TV on. Just the ticking of writing this blog post. I even ate more than I should have of M&M cookies. Totally worth it.

 

Now that I accomplished things in my home today, I don't have a problem with asking my husband to sneak out for an hour and maybe go thrifting. Maybe I can run to Target and pick up a few things we need, and come home to surprise Pete with a 6 pack for tonight. Maybe we can watch a movie when the kids go to bed and hang out sweetly like we used to before we got married.

 

My day has a much more optimistic spin on it when I remind myself it wasn't ruined upon waking. It doesn't matter what day it is or what we planned for it. What counts, is that we make it the best day we can with whatever we are given.

 

I really need to think like this more often...