Now that I am working full time and still keeping busy with the boys endless activities and Ethan's school work, I am REALLY looking forward to this three day weekend. Much more so than I would have been two months ago before I started back to work. Every evening when I get home from work, it is a struggle to balance dinner, homework, bath time, and bed time within a 3 1/2 hour period. It doesn't leave much time for playing with my children. Since my Husband works evenings from home, as soon as I walk into the door he is already working, so I am missing "our" time as well. Long after the children are in bed and the house is somewhat tidy, and I am laying in my bed exhausted I think, "What did I do with my kids or husband today that really counts?" I go through the routine of asking about their days, looking through Ethan's schoolwork, cooking dinner and reading stories, but most of the time it isn't done with the excitement and encouragement they deserve. I am just trying to rush these tasks and move on to the next task so that I can fit everything in. I feel so much guilt for this and have made a promise to myself to enjoy my family even after a long, exhausting day when I just want to go to sleep. However, I know that there will be days that I break this promise.
Eventhough, I would love to spend the next three days at home with nothing planned, just relaxing and lounging around; I know that my children need to stay active and my family needs some REAL quality time together. Not the quality time that most of us often have where we are just "being" in the same room or house together but everyone is doing their own thing. I can't tell you how many times I have walked past my husband in the house and did not even acknowledge him because I was so focused on a task at hand. This weekend calls for lots of board games, movie time, tossing the football around, and my boy's personal favorite past time: army battles with their dad. I am hoping the boys will be pleasantly surpised when I actually join forces and take part in the battle this time!
Three and a half hours a day to see my husband and children is just not enough time.On weekends like this, I get to make up a little bit of that difference. I get to see smiles on my children's faces when they score a touchdown against their dad. I get to cuddle and watch a late night movie with my husband without stressing about how many hours of sleep I will get before having to wake up to go to work. Weekends have now come to be a reconnecting period for me; and it's even better with an extra day to laugh, love, and play! I hope everyone enjoys and appreciates this wonderful weekend. What are you doing to make it count?
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