I have been without my husband for the week, and he comes back tomorrow to only leave again a day later for a youth group trip.  After 5 full days of single parenting, I am starting to look back on the effects.  We ate fast food for dinner three times (my mom would die if she read this–sorry mom!), the kids were only bathed three times- the pool counts right?, Noah went back to a diaper for 2 full days until I got my act together that it would hurt me in the long run to not encourage him to use the potty again.  

And although I tried to let some of the normal things go, there is still stuff you just have to do with a 3 yr. old  and a 1 1/2 year old.  Like 8 loads of laundry—- in one day, I had been saving up!  The oddest part of the day is the night.  When the kids go down around 7pm and its actually silent.  Now don’t get me wrong the first two nights the silence was like a slight taste of what heaven will be like—no need for excedrin tension headache ever!!  But then it started kicking in that I was just doing everything I needed to do, and not enjoying any of it.  How do you enjoy 8 loads of laundry?  I don’t think you can.  But back to my point, not having my hubby around made me forget that these five days I had with the kids are  gifts I can’t get back.  Every morning I get to see their faces and enjoy them for one more day, how many times do we take that for granted?  I want them to see me having fun, and I guess my husband has a good way of helping me neglect the things that can wait; dishes, laundry, cleaning….and just BE with the kids.  I want them to see that mommy loves them more than a freshly cleaned floor or an organized closet.    

As I look upon having another week of just the kids and I, I am setting a goal of doing a fun activity a day with them.  Tonight we had special movie night, we just really meant that we going to take all the pillows off the couches and lay a special blanket down, turn off all the lights, and watch a movie.  I let my son pick the movie-Cinderella, and tonight he asked me if he could be a princess!! (that’s another entry entirely).  

Through out the day I get so exhausted and tired that I forget their watching me.  Everything I do they see me and one day they will imitate it.  If I want them to imitate Christ, I have to imitate it first—to them!  I don’t know if we are ready for full on family nights but we can start small and work up!  I am encouraged by mothers who are able to lay everything aside and just have fun with their kids.  Thanks for the reminder, I needed it!  

 

Come home hun!! We all miss you!