Getting the job done

Let me be the first to say "June Cleaver I am not." Although, truth be told, I would love to be. I could see the shock on Ryan's face now as he comes through the door promptly at 5:30 pm to me with my pearls, my Christian Louboutin heels, apron and full course meal set and hot on the table. About the only true part of that entire scenario is that I own pearls. In the event that Ryan were actually home by 5:30, ever, and giving the fact that most nights I am not even home when he arrives, hence prohibiting me from having dinner on the table.

Anyway, I am not a very good servant. I detest meal planning, grocery shopping and cooking. Overall, I am not a very good housekeeper and forget about me taking care of the yard. While I don't mind doing any of these singularly, doing them all is a bit overwhelming. I have decided that it is time to do something about it. I have not always struggled with this problem. It has only been in the past year or two.

As I was reflecting back on "yesteryear" and trying to determine what went wrong, I was remembering my very first women's Bible Study. It was the fall of 1997 and I had two kids at the time. Emily was going to a local preschool that was the envy of the town and I kept a little girl in our home to pay for the preschool. So every Tuesday I would load Emily, Savannah, and Owen into our 2 door car, drop Emily off at Preschool and go to Bible study. As I said, this was my first real case of "hanging with the girls". To be honest, I was not sure how I felt about it. I knew that staying home with Owen was the right thing to do (daycare didn't agree with his temperament)for Owen. However, I was not totally convinced it was the right thing for ME! The leader of the Bible study was an older woman (our senior pastor's mother). It was a study where anyone could join at anytime. There was no real stopping and starting point. On your very first day, you went into a separate room to make an apron. These were the Wal-mart type canvas/jean apron and there were all kinds of things to decorate them. After decorating our apron we were invited to lunch after the Bible study with the leader. She explained to us that as the nurture/care taker of our homes, she wanted us to remember that we were servants. However, she felt that young women often fell into the trap of forgetting whom we served. She felt that in the thankless job of taking care of our husbands and children that we would lose sight of it was really Christ that we serve. We strive to serve Him by serving other, especially those in our care. She encouraged us to "put on our apron" just as we "put on the full armor of God". To allow that apron to be part of our armor. I can't tell you what a difference that made to me. It was nothing like having a terrible day and you asking yourself "why am I doing this again?" but to then go and physically put that apron on and "transforming your mind". When Emily and Owen were little, they were used to seeing me in that apron. However, as time passed, I didn't put on the apron as much. In fact, I cannot even find it. So, this weekend, I went to get me a new apron. I couldn't find one I liked (who knew aprons were very hard to find) so I got one from Joanne's that you piece and sew together. I have cut out the pieces but have not sewn it all together. I am excited about my quest to be a better "homemaker". Watch out, June Cleaver, there is a new girl in town!

PS - I tried to post a picture of what my new, cute apron will look like but my picture thing is not cooperating. :(

The Beauty of Sharing

Most of my life growing up, I had my own room. I had my own "stuff". My sibling closest to me was five years younger and male. I have a younger sister but she is 10 years younger so she never threatened my "stuff" either. Needless to say that going off to college was an adjustment. Luckily, my roomate shared similar philosophies about sharing. We co-existed and because it was what we both wanted, it worked very well for us. However, even though Ryan had always had his own room as well - (a boy sandwiched in between two sisters)he had no problem "sharing". What was mine was his (and vice versa) only I still prefered my "stuff" to be left alone. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind someone using my stuff but I want it returned to the same place you took it from and in the exact same condition. Ryan has the uncanny ability to make himself at home anywhere, a trait that at times I am jealous of. Anyway, when we were buying houses years ago, I "needed" a three bedroom house. I had two kids - a girl and a boy - I needed three rooms. We got the three rooms. I rememember someone asking if we were going to have more kids - I replied, "No - I would have to get a bigger house." Honestly, it never really occured to me to put more than one kid in a room - especially because they were boy / girl. The lady looked at me and said "that is the most selfish thing I have ever heard." Really? I was dumbfounded. Needless to say, we did decide to have more kids. When Alexa was born we put her in Owen's room. It was a small starter home and the bedrooms were small. Emily had a full bed in her room. Owen took it upon himself to move in with Emily. We didn't really plan on him moving in there but Alexa would make noises and he would wake up scared and go to Emily's bed. So, for a while, Owen didn't have a bed at all. Then a friend of ours was getting rid of their bunk beds and asked did we want them. Sure, everyone at least "needs" their own bed. So we got the bunk beds and Emily and Owen were both distraught. Emily because her bed was in the attic and Owen because he couldn't reach Emily. The first night, Owen came out in hysterics that we were the meanest parents alive. I calmly told him that in some families do kids not only sleep in their own beds but also their own rooms - in the dark - alone. He said "that is the meanest thing I have ever heard." When we went to check on them later that evening, Emily had her arm stuck down the side of the bed and they were sound asleep holding hands.
When we began to design/build this house those old fears came creeping up. How many bedrooms should there be? The kids actually decided that for now, they would like to stay together in pairs with the option of being alone when they got older. So far, "older" hasn't happened. I most likely live in the largest three bedroom home there ever has been. I love (most of the time) hearing my kids talking and singing, teaching each other Bible verses, making up stories with each other, just talking about life. I don't know how effective this method will be in then not wanting people to touch their "stuff" but I know the bond the four of them share is unbreakable. All of them know the sacrifice of sharing space; of give and take, something I am still trying to learn!