Parents don't "just" do anything.
I am sure all parents everywhere are nodding in agreement. I "knew" this, but never knew the extent of this until I became one myself. Every piece of my day reinforced this fact, and I just had to write a fun post about it.
9:00 a.m. Talking to mom. I tell her that I am stir crazy, and she asks if we should go swimming today.
10:00 a.m. We confirm that swimming is a good idea.
10:01 a.m. I start packing up Jackson's stuff.
11:00 a.m. Jackson wakes up. I spend the next hour trying to entertain and spend time with him, while packing his things, feeding him, cleaning the house, balancing our budget, and writing an email.
11:45 a.m. Get the fifteen minute warning from my mom.
11:46 a.m. Panic. Get the last of Jackson's things, pack his food with a cold pack, get Jackson changed, dressed and a quick, last-minute feeding.
11:59 a.m. Oh shoot. I am not presentable. Hurry and brush my teeth and run a comb through my hair. Oh well. Everyone will be looking at the baby, right?
12:00 p.m. Go downstairs to meet my mom with the stroller, car seat, Jackson, his food, his toys, his clothes, his diapers, his swimming stuff... Oh right, wallet, keys, cell phone, camera. Phew.
Okay, skip ahead, this could take awhile.
2:00 p.m. It is now a three-generational venture to "just" go swimming.
2:01 p.m.Attempting to get Jackson's diaper changed, and swimming clothes put on.
2:05 p.m. Still attempting...
2:15 p.m. After taking turns getting changed, watching the baby, putting sunscreen on him, setting up the playpen in case he needs a nap, getting his swimming toy blown up... we are ready to "just" swim.
2:30 p.m. We are done swimming.
I could spell out the rest of the day for you, but I will spare you the details. Let's say that it was spent "just" preparing to go away for one night. Harder than it sounds...and way harder than swimming!
To all the people who have now decided not to have children - every bit of today was wonderful. What doesn't get recounted in the details are all the smiles, laughs and new discoveries. Every day, our baby discovers something new about us, about himself, or about our world. Life is so much more exciting with a child! Oh, and just for the record, life would be probably a million times more difficult if the planning and running around didn't happen. I cannot even imagine "just" doing anything without organizing, preparing and being productive for hours ahead of time.
Time to get some sleep. Between now and tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., our house needs to be prepared for showings, just in case, Kyle's stuff packed up, my stuff packed up, and Jackson's stuff packed up. Strange how a tiny baby needs about ten times more than two adults combined.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
The Little Things
Well, it's been a month since I posted. My last post was all about why I would miss our condo...and yes, I spoke too soon. Our condo is still for sale! I would never have guessed it would have taken this long, and I don't pretend to know why we are still waiting, but here we are. Trusting, waiting, wishing.
I have been mulling over a post that I want to write ever since I started this blog. I am not quite finished mulling yet - I still have some tweaking to do before I type it out. I have a habit of rehearsing emails, conversations and various other scenarios in my mind before I actually go through with them. Sometimes, it is a method of tweaking - getting all of the kinks out of the email and saying just exactly what I want to say. Sometimes, I rehearse a conversation that may or may not ever take place. That is likely where I will lose a lot of you, although you did willingly read a post from "The Looney Bin." I find this sort of thing very helpful - whether it is to keep myself from saying things that should not be said, or to mull over what really needs to be said and what is mere excess.
In any case, I am not ready to write that other blog yet, but I do have some reflections on marriage for this evening. I do not pretend to be an expert on the subject. I am well aware that I am a mere novice, and can humbly say that I have learned far more about love and marriage than maybe, if I am honest, I thought I needed to learn. I am reminded more and more how "simple" love can be. Not in essence or quality, but the fact that love often boils down to "the little things." I find it difficult to describe marriage sometimes because "love" and "marriage" are not synonymous. I find that a lot of people have grandiose scenarios in their mind that equal love. Everyone is itching to have that perfect engagement story that all their friends are so jealous of, the spouse that everyone agrees is drop-dead gorgeous, and the pictures and stories to prove that they are a great couple. And you know what, sometimes amazing marriages and those couple who are truly head-over-heels in love do have amazing stories, great pictures and the perfect engagement. But you know what my experience has been? Day in, day out - hard work, great laughs, a handsome man (and now the cutest baby, too!), tears, struggles, early mornings, great pictures, patience, oh, and did I mention hard work? :)
Today, I just want to reflect on the little things. Mostly due to a lot of financial strain in our marriage thus far, and partially due to everyday life - my husband has not whisked me away to the Caribbean for our anniversary or a spa for the weekend of my birthday. You know what? Sometimes, we can't "do" anything for anniversaries or birthdays but just stay in and have supper. Do I really care? No. I have learned, and am still learning that a lot of average days can equal extraordinary love.
Today, love is the little things.
Love is spending an evening alone at home while my husband (and baby) get the sleep they desperately need.
Love is waking up at 6:00 a.m. to make egg salad sandwiches for your husband's lunch, even though you were up twice with the baby in the night.
Love is leaving out your favourite spice in a meal, so your husband will enjoy it more.
Love is finding a 'treat' (on sale - always on sale!) for your husband during each grocery trip.
Love is learning (maybe, finally learning) not to over-plan your weekend because your husband needs to recharge for his work week ahead.
Love is doing these things with a smile, and meaning it.
I have been mulling over a post that I want to write ever since I started this blog. I am not quite finished mulling yet - I still have some tweaking to do before I type it out. I have a habit of rehearsing emails, conversations and various other scenarios in my mind before I actually go through with them. Sometimes, it is a method of tweaking - getting all of the kinks out of the email and saying just exactly what I want to say. Sometimes, I rehearse a conversation that may or may not ever take place. That is likely where I will lose a lot of you, although you did willingly read a post from "The Looney Bin." I find this sort of thing very helpful - whether it is to keep myself from saying things that should not be said, or to mull over what really needs to be said and what is mere excess.
In any case, I am not ready to write that other blog yet, but I do have some reflections on marriage for this evening. I do not pretend to be an expert on the subject. I am well aware that I am a mere novice, and can humbly say that I have learned far more about love and marriage than maybe, if I am honest, I thought I needed to learn. I am reminded more and more how "simple" love can be. Not in essence or quality, but the fact that love often boils down to "the little things." I find it difficult to describe marriage sometimes because "love" and "marriage" are not synonymous. I find that a lot of people have grandiose scenarios in their mind that equal love. Everyone is itching to have that perfect engagement story that all their friends are so jealous of, the spouse that everyone agrees is drop-dead gorgeous, and the pictures and stories to prove that they are a great couple. And you know what, sometimes amazing marriages and those couple who are truly head-over-heels in love do have amazing stories, great pictures and the perfect engagement. But you know what my experience has been? Day in, day out - hard work, great laughs, a handsome man (and now the cutest baby, too!), tears, struggles, early mornings, great pictures, patience, oh, and did I mention hard work? :)
Today, I just want to reflect on the little things. Mostly due to a lot of financial strain in our marriage thus far, and partially due to everyday life - my husband has not whisked me away to the Caribbean for our anniversary or a spa for the weekend of my birthday. You know what? Sometimes, we can't "do" anything for anniversaries or birthdays but just stay in and have supper. Do I really care? No. I have learned, and am still learning that a lot of average days can equal extraordinary love.
Today, love is the little things.
Love is spending an evening alone at home while my husband (and baby) get the sleep they desperately need.
Love is waking up at 6:00 a.m. to make egg salad sandwiches for your husband's lunch, even though you were up twice with the baby in the night.
Love is leaving out your favourite spice in a meal, so your husband will enjoy it more.
Love is finding a 'treat' (on sale - always on sale!) for your husband during each grocery trip.
Love is learning (maybe, finally learning) not to over-plan your weekend because your husband needs to recharge for his work week ahead.
Love is doing these things with a smile, and meaning it.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13)
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