The grass isn't always greener

I have a new year's resolution to write something - whether it be as simple as a "to-do" list or as painful as a chapter for a novel - every day. I've been wanting to blog for a couple months now, but really should have started this when I "retired" from teaching to stay home with the kids.

I have two beautiful, strong, smart kiddos. I'm not a working mom any more, but boy do I work harder now then I did when I was teaching and running the house! I started staying home in June of 2006. I had always thought how nice it would be to be able to stay home, feeling financially stable, catch up on all my projects that fall to the wayside... Are you laughing out loud yet?!

Let me tell you about the first week I was a SHM. I cleaned and organized the entire 3200 square feet of the house I'd like to be a sactuary - a place of retreat and love. I was put on a budget because sacrifices had to be made. And my to do list was completed in a week. My oldest was still in school for two weeks and my youngest was home wondering what we would do next - the zoo, the library, the pool, some other adventure not yet planned? So week two of retirement came and I cleaned the house again, but this time in one day. I was pretty proud of myself until I realized that was going to be the rest of my time at home.

So I set up a schedule. My teaching days were full of schedules so it's a system that worked well for me. Funnily enough though I never had either of my babies on a schedule when they were infants. Instead of cleaning the whole house every day, I scheduled one room per day and an outing or project for the kids and me. We had a great time for 3 weeks and then my oldest went back to school. Now I had Auden all to myself again.

His third birthday was coming up in a few weeks and he wasn't quite potty trained yet. So I set a goal that we would have that completed by his birthday. You're laughing again, aren't you? We did pretty good with the peeing, but pooping was inconsistent. And yet another wrench was thrown into the gears - he wouldn't get dressed. He only wore underwear (Or was naked. I have lots of naked pictures of him that summer) up until Fall arrived and then he'd just wear his jammies! (I have lots of pictures of this too) How could there be problems in paradise?! I was a SHM! Things were supposed to be grand! I was in complete control! If you're not laughing yet you should be. If I only knew then what I know now... So, the grass isn't always greener, but the view is educational.