I am always a better mom after a break. It doesn't need to be a dramatic break--it can be short, like running a few errands alone or taking a walk around the block. There seems to be a correlation, though. The longer the break, the better able I am to deal with my kids.
I will not insult your intelligence by defensively saying "of course I love my kids," because anyone who reads this post and/or knows me already has that information in spades.
It's been a long few months in our house. Lots of illness, lots of malaise, lots of isolation. We had a few extra days off of school a few weeks ago (after two weeks off of school, during which some of us were under the weather). It was almost too much to bear.
This hospital stay was a tough one for me. There was not a lot of opportunity to be out and about. I didn't get a lot of breaks because Brian was home caring for the boys. Coming home was definitely a welcome move. The problem is that of course reality is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce as soon as you walk in.
Mine took the form of household chores. Any mom knows that though there is time off from the family, it's like taking time off from work. Your responsibilities aren't cared for, they are simply set to the side for you to tackle when you are back home.
I was hoping to attend my MOPS meeting tomorrow as a way of celebrating being home. No such luck, as I have to take Bekah to a follow-up doctor's appointment in the morning. I am not able to do my normal Wednesday night thing because I want to make sure all things are ready to go for tomorrow morning. Jeremy woke up telling Brian he had a stomachache, but seems to be just fine. He is going off to school, as is Doug, who has been off the past few days for illness and then today (non-illness related).
Clothes have to be washed and folded, lunches have to be made, bread has to be baked, dinner has to be cooked, things need to be picked up, vacuumed, dusted, put away, etc., etc. I am grateful to not be in the confines of my hospital room, sleeping on a vinyl recliner, trust me. I am grateful that my daughter seems to be making a full recovery. That is encouraging as well. I just wish there was some transition period for these instances. (Ideally, I would love to have a housekeeper and a short, by-myself vacation somewhere, but now I'm just operating in the realm of fantasy.)
Lest my readers think all I do is lament and complain, take heart. The bright spot in coming home was reuniting the kids. I assumed that Jeremy would be most happy to have Bekah home, but I was wrong. Doug was giving Bekah kisses quite freely and wrestling with her, all without prompting. He is an affectionate guy, but he normally doesn't give out kisses unless he's prompted. Jeremy was pretty distracted by the iPad, but pretty soon after Bekah got home he was sitting on the couch and she was next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. The two of them are so incredibly close and she and Doug apparently have a close bond as well.
Though this next piece of sunshine may have a dark twist, it's still a piece of sunshine. As with any stomach flu or illness, we end up saving on groceries. It had been my plan to start cooking the pork chops, chicken breasts, ground beef and roast that I had purchased on sale last week. In my absence, the main food of choice have been Kirkland chicken nuggets. Pizza is up on the docket for this evening and it's one of my favorite family treats. Meanwhile, now we have stretched our groceries even further. I did spend a bit more than I normally would have on eating away from home, but it seems to have balanced out with the savings I'm going to see in next week's grocery trip.
Finally, when your vehicle stays in one place (say, a hospital parking lot) for almost 3 days, gas consumption is stagnant. I still have half a tank of gas that should last me until next payday. Delightful.
All of this means I should be able to go clothes shopping with a friend next weekend. Bekah's party should be financially manageable and that is also a good thing, as it is approaching quickly on the horizon.
Maybe I'll consistently start making it to my morning obligations. I'm not hopeful right now but then if I would, my readers would probably send someone to check on me.
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