Most of my friends and co-workers would never do the things I do for my family. I know I am on this earth to be a wife and mother and I attempt to do my best at it.  Most of the time I probably go beyond my calling.  I rarely make it to bed before midnight with 1:00AM being pretty much my normal bedtime.  I then get up at 6:30AM to start it all over again.  I am not the type of person who needs 8 hours of sleep to function but less face it typically only getting 5 and a half hours a day is not necessarily healthy either. 

Last night was a typical evening for me.  I arrived home around 5:30PM and started making dinner.  While dinner was cooking I assisted Hylari with homework which consisted of studying for 4 tests.  She had finished her daily reading assignment and write up before I got home.  We ate dinner and then had a few errands to run.  We got back home around 8:30 and Hylari and I finished up on one last study guide.  Then it was getting her off to the shower and I started working on some of my nightly chores.  Hylari and I went in to pick out her clothes for the next morning and realized that all of her jeans were dirty.  Add a load of laundry to my list.  Got her into bed and went down to the laundry room to start the load of jeans.  It was nearing 10:30PM which is the time I watch Two and a Half Men.  I sat down watched the show and then was back up by 11:00PM to clean the kitchen, make lunches, make sure the bathroom and living room were tidy, take the dog out for one final time, etc. While I was standing outside in the freezing air taking the dog out I had a revelation.  What do I do when I have been stressed out at work?  I take a day off, maybe two, and I always take a week off once a year.  Why am I not entitled that at home?  While I do my job well at work my job at home is 100 more times demanding and physical.   I make everything in our home "magically" happen.  Everyone is always well taken care of.  Everything is always (ok maybe not always 100% of the time but most of the time) in its place.  Everyone is fed.  Everyone is loved.  No one ever has to struggle for anything.  It is always done for them and I am always happy to do so.  But it comes to a time when a gal needs a break.  I sat down and wrote my husband and Hylari a sweet note telling them while I absolutely adored taking care of them I need some time off.  I requested to take Monday through Friday off of next week and have them take care of me instead.  I asked that they work together as a team and give this gift to ME.  I ended the note by letting them know I would be eager to take my duties back on the following Saturday. 

Since my husband leaves for work before I get up I didn't get to talk to him about it first.  I asked Hylari what she thought about the note and she replied to me that she wasn't going to do it because her and my husband will fight.  I asked her if she could do it for 5 days (which would really only be 3 because she will go to her dads on Thursday evening) and she still replied no.  On my way to work I called my husband and asked him what he thought about it and he pretty much replied the same as Hylari but said he was willing to do it.  He said he was willing to do it but that Hylari needed to mind her P's and Q's and not make the whole thing difficult.  Which I will give it to him Hylari can be a handful with him but it is all in his approach with her.  Hylari likes the warm fuzzies and my husband is more barky.  My husband tends to deal with the boys like he should a girl and our girl he tends to deal with like a boy.  ????  I don't get that.  He continued to complain a bit and I was not getting the warm reception from either one of them that I thought I deserved.  So I told my husband lets just forget that I brought it up and we will do things as normal.  It really is even more work on me to have to deal with them two arguing than to just do everything I need to do on a daily basis.

I drove on into work kind of upset that neither one of them could get passed their beefs with each other and give me 5 evenings of relaxation after all I do for them but I guess that is just how it is.  Once I got to work my husband called me and said he would do his best to take over my duties for the week as well as work with Hyl to get her on board to do the same thing.  Who knows if it will all pan out or not.  It sure would be nice to have the time off as well as let them walk in my shoes so that they can truly appreciate what I do.  I have never asked them to do this before so they really do not have a clue about what I do.  I will keep you posted.

Well so much for the weather people saying we are going to be dry and clear for a while.  Now they are saying that we should have 4-6 inches of snow by tomorrow afternoon.  The snow should start around 7:00PM and snow all night long and continue until Saturday at 1:00PM.  If that much does come AJ's game will be cancelled AGAIN.  Poor guys have only got one game in so far and if this week is cancelled they won't play again until mid January due to the Christmas break.  However, receiving that much snow would make for some fun sledding.  If it does snow that much we will take the kids out to sled on Saturday.  I will be sure to take pictures!!

Today is the "End of the Year Event" lunch at work.  From what I hear around the office alot of people are upset by the name change of the lunch.  Out of 350 associates in our division only 53 have signed up to bring something in.  I wonder what the turnout will be?  I know I have a small posse that will be joining me outside of the office for a nice lunch.  In closing I will share a cute email my husband sent to me which while I am still upset about all the changes that are taking place in this world about the Christmas holiday what the email says is true.  We have to continue to do God's work by love and leadership and not by being nasty and withdrawn. 

Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many you are upset that folks are taking my name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate my birthday this time of the year.  Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate my birth, just GET ALONG WITH, AND LOVE EACH OTHER.

Now, having said that let me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting my birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all my followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching.

If you want to give me a present in remembrance of my birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way my birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home.  They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year.  I know, they tell me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally.  They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them.  Tell them the story of my birth, and why I came to live with you down here.  Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

4. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

 

5. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless?  Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

6. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word.  Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. 

7. Here's a good one.  There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive.  Even If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to some charity that will make the delivery for you.

8. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief and loyalty to me, then behave like one of my children.  Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in my presence.  Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I’m God and I can take care of myself. Just love me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest.  Have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love…and remember, I do love you!

Have a  great day!

I think that's a good idea, Sami- hopefully they'll follow through. I know you love caring for your family, but your family needs to learn how to care for themselves... what if you weren't there one day to do it?!?! I suggest starting small, but building up slowly relieving a lot of the responsibility you shoulder that your family is certainly old enough and capable enough to start taking on.
You're working yourself to the bone at home AND working a job?!?! That's too much, girl!! wish I had your energy!!! haha! If I don't get 8 hours I'm basically useless.

Thats a nice letter from God. I agree that our focus should be of those things listed BUT still bothers me that people are removing the word Christmas because it offends a small minority of folks. I'm not sure what this world is coming to but yes, I agree that there are other things we could focus on. A mothers work is never done and never will be. I wish you good luck on having a vacation from your home duties. You do so much that your family is spoiled. Just like mine. My hubby has never ever even washed clothes! I am not kidding. I fold the clothes because he folds them wrong. No Im not being picky, he literraly folds them like he is just stuffing them in a pile. ha ha! So I choose to do it myself. *sigh* You know what, I dont get enough sleep either. I go to bed around 1am and last night I went to bed around 3am. Thats why I couldnt get up (along with hubby but he had taken the day off) on Friday and we slept in!! I need to change my sleep habits though because like you said, its not healthy for you to not get enough sleep. Well have a great weekend & stay warm..!

Hi Sami,

I have tried the break thing before. A week has always been more than anyone in our family could take, but I do take a couple of days off at a time and they fill in. I think that it's good for Hylari to learn how to do all of the chores at some point, she'll have to know how when she has her own family, you won't be there to do it for her then. Maybe you can ease into them a little at a time to get rid of some of the responsibility and to teach Hylari how to juggle her responsibilities like all Moms do.

I hope that your "vacation" is going well.