Mothers Who Know

Hubby comes home!!

Today we are awaiting Daddy's return from a business trip. He left on Monday, and will return in a few hours. I had planned a couple of projects around the house while he was gone - but due to being sick, I wasn't able to get them done.

I don't know about any of you, but I usually feel one of two ways when my husband goes away. I am either completely dreading the week, and just hate to see him go. OR, I am determined to fix all that is wrong with me and the house, so that when he gets back, he will walk into the kind of house he deserves. Does anyone else try to do this when their husband travels, or is it just me??

This week, I was finally going to get everyone on a schedule that they actually try to follow, get all the bedrooms clean, the laundry put away, have next week all planned out (it's dh's vacation), and have a big stack of schoolwork for the kids to show off. I was going to master not yelling, not losing my patience, and getting up early every day. The kids were all going to be less rambunctious, more eager to help, and happily doing thier chores.

Obviously, this didn't happen. Nor would it have. Permanent change does not happen over night, or even in a week. You can get off to a good start in that amount of time, but then it takes consistent hardwork and effort to maintain. We don't need to have a special week, that we plan to get 'everything' in order. We don't need to pick a date on the calendar, or even start 'tomorow'. All we need to do is go forward from where we are. I have been waiting for the past month for this week to come. Now it has come and gone, and with me being sick, we didnt get anywhere.

I could have started a month ago, just making small corrections. Taking a deep breath before I responded, and gradually reduced the amount I yell. I could have gradually increased the time I wake up everymorning by fifteen minutes every week, and by now, I would have been at an hour earlier. I point these things out, as I always seem to fall into the trap of planning a date, where 'everything will change', as if I can force myself to become perfect overnight.

I read a poem the other day called "Do the Next thing". It made me realize, that life isnt about planning a day of change, it is about always just doing the next thing. We can continue to follow the same course, by doing the next thing the same as always, or we can start to change with the very next thing instead. I challenge everyone who reads this blog, to pick something they have been wanting to change, and to pick a small step of that change, as the "next thing" they do.

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10:25, Sunday, August 24, 2008 .. Posted by Handmaiden

My husband had to travel on and off when our large family was growing up. I took advantage to the times he was gone to get "my" projects done. I would even stay up most of the night getting clothes made for the girls ( 7 seven girls in a row then a boy then more girls). He would often leave me a list (he was an organizer) of things to do on the homestead while he was gone.LOL. I wish I had had your thoughts about changing and improving things in our lives. I enjoy your blog.

Edited by Handmaiden on Sunday, August 24, 2008 at 09:27