Recently, WJ and I decided to revisit the way our home runs on a daily basis. We needed a new schedule. And we needed to stick to it. Make it happen. In order to see this through, we challenged ourselves to implement this way of life for 30 days.
What spurred this challenge? Well, the obvious reason was that I had a very rough time during the first trimester of this third pregnancy. Life as we knew it had stopped. Completely. For two months. I had no motivation, no drive to do anything from housework to home school. Sadly I will admit, the other three members of my family had been entertained for weeks on Netflix & PBS Kids while I tried to keep myself out of the bathroom! I was so thankful when weeks 14-15 came around. All sickness and aversions to the kitchen in general, subsided. Life began to look normal again. I actually found myself craving healthy food and was able to focus on the fact that I have daughters and a husband!
Back in March, I had made a decent attempt to revisit life; of course, this was just before we found out about Baby H growing inside the womb. So, on my 37th birthday (of all days) WJ and I finalized our plan. Hoping to create habits that would stick, I had evaluated our awake hours and worked up a better schedule for home school, meal times, family/craft time, etc. We discussed past experience and realized that we are truly a family unit that needs a schedule. Our lives and home run better with a little organization and determination.
WJ's conviction of this had a bigger purpose. He talked of the importance of making the most of our time now when our days were simple. One job. Two kids. Not much activity outside the home. He said that if we could do this now, we would be ready for more children, more community and one day, hopefully, our own business. Made sense to me. Succeed in the small things... etc., etc.
So, we did it. I am pretty pleased to say that we are in our 6th week and things have been so much better. Aside from the whole family being attacked with a yucky stomach bug mid-summer, we have accomplished what we set out to do. And this home has been so full of joy. Considering I am now 23 weeks pregnant with our third child, the timing of this new way of daily living was impeccable. The girls are happier about school, I am walking upright, albeit large, still upright. And WJ has a better view of our future.
So far this pregnancy has been a symbol of many things 'revisited' for us. The focus now: living. BEING instead of doing. Of course the house is not spotless, we live here. And our 'To-Do list' isn't completed every day. But our hearts are in it. We are attacking each day with purpose.
My biggest lesson in this: the more I began to focus on the little workings of our family and our new challenge, the less time I had to see the negative, or what we didn't have. I became thankful for what we did have. This simple time in our lives. I also had no time to allow selfishness to rear its ugly head!
Well, that sums up our little world for now. Hope you all have had a terrific summer and are as excited to welcome the beautiful season of Autumn as I am. (Although, in the South, its more of a mindset than a physical expression!)
What are some ways you have re-worked life to run smoother on a daily basis? Has the Lord shown you anything about your family that could be preparation for busier days ahead? What season do your find yourself in?
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