Imagine this...
7am - Wake up, get dressed, feed kids
7:30am - Take car in to get checked before my road trip on Thursday
8am - Get back home (amazed that it only took 1/2 hour), say family prayers, and see Jason off to work.
8:30am - Get dressed, get kids dressed, head to the gym to workout.
9:30am - Back home, get ready for the day.
10am - Check email and do work while kids watch one show and then play.
11:30am - Lunch
12pm - Justis naps, Nia has Quiet time, and I work.
2pm - Justis wakes up, have snacks, play time.
4pm - clean up, get dinner going.
6pm - dinner
6:30pm - clean up dinner, play with kids
7:15pm - get kids ready for bed.
That was what I had planned for my day. Instead, this is how my day actually went...
7am - Wake up, get dressed, feed kids
7:30am - Take car in to get checked before my road trip on Thursday
8am - Get back home (truly am amazed it only took 1/2 hour), say family prayers, and see Jason off to work.
8:30am - Get dressed, get kids dressed, see my book lying on my nightstand.
8:35am - Book is calling my name. Kids are playing. Ok, I'll just read one chapter.
9am - Put one show on for kids. Read only until show is over. Then must do work.
9:30am - Show is over. Still reading. Nia - "Mom, you said we could Pegasus today." Me - (thinking - if I put Pegasus on for them, I can work while I watch with them - good quality time, right?) "Ok. But then it will be time to turn it off."
10am - Stop reading, really MUST start work. Starting work.
10:15am - Conversation w/ project manager - project not so rushed now. Have several extra days. That means I can read, right?
10:17am - Get fruit snacks for kids and head to room to read.
11:20am - Nia: "Mom, the show's over. I turned off the TV. Can we have lunch now?" Me: "It's not quite time yet, why don't you play blocks with Justis." Justis: "Basketball shoot, Nia." Kids go to Justis' room.
11:30am - Nia: "Mom, I want lunch now. I'm hungry." Ok, lunch is made. Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwhiches for the kids, of which Mac ate one of Nia's quarters because she mistakenly got up from the table to get water for her and Justis.
12pm - Justis nap, Nia quite time. Andi: Work or Read? My stomach is not feeling very well. Guess I'll read.
1:20pm - Mom knocks on door causing Mac to bark causing Justis to wake up prematurely. Mom comes in (here to watch the kids while I go to get the car). My stomach is still not feeling well so I continue to lay down... and read. Kids and Mom make cookies.
1:40pm - Finally get a hold of another client and talk for 10 minutes.
1:50pm - Shuttle van for auto repair place is here. Go (with my book - just in case) to get car.
2:30pm - Back home. Eat about 8 cookies (they were small), and read.
4pm - Nia: "Mom, why do you have to work so much so you can't play with us?" Andi: looking for nearest knife to stab self after such an honest but sad thing to hear. "I only have about twelve more pages in my book. How about I read that in your room while you and Justis play?"
4:40pm - finished book (kids were talking to me which is why it took so long to finish - it ended up being about 20 pages).
4:30pm - Fix dinner.
5:15pm - PLAY with kids.
6:30pm - Jason home, eat dinner.
7:00pm - Clean up dinner, play with kids
7:15pm - Kids in bed.
The first one is how I imagined my day would go. The second one is how it actually went. I am ashamed and embarrassed that I spent pretty much my entire day reading. It wouldn't be so bad if I hadn't had other things to do. But in fact, I had several things for work I could have done, I could have worked on packing, I could have worked out, or any other number of things. Instead, I made some poor choices that ended up costing me some self-respect.
Jason asked me this evening how my day went. I was too embarrassed to tell him. I had already decided I would blog about this so I told him he would have to read my blog.
I need to be better at making a list of things to do and sticking to them. Furthermore, I need to exert some will-power and practice some self mastery when it comes to reading and work. Neither reading or work are more important than my family.
Family first. No more lame days.
:)
4 comments:
don't be too hard on yourself, at least you got the kids dressed! We all take a day off now and then and better that you spent it reading then say, stripping at the local club :-)
You're a good mama, and one day your kids will have things that they enjoy enough to put life on hold and they'll remember you taught them that it was okay.
We all have lame days periodically, Andi. (Or at least I do--glad I'm not the only one.) :)
I agree with the other comments. I think its good to take a day off every now and then. Sure, it's no good to take weeks off at a time, but a break is good. When I need a break, I tell Gracie just that and that I will be a better mom tomorrow, but for now she will have to play with her toys... a lot.
Wow Andi, for sure, you are way too hard on yourself. If I had a day like that, I would be so proud of myself! I fed my kids, got them dressed, and actually read a book! I can't remember the last time I read a book, congratulations!!!
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