"I Get To" Instead of "I Have To"

I met my goal for calories burned by 4:00pm today. It was a long day, full of toddler tantrums, a trip to Grandma's, battling naptime, lots of outside activity in the hot, hazy sun, and summer fun in the sprinkler. Then I still had to solo parent through supper and bedtime while my husband was out spraying - which is what he had been working on all day. No resting here...

As anyone who's had experience with young kids at bedtimes knows, it always takes longer than it should. "Can you scratch my back?" turns into... "Can we read one more book?" turns into... "Will you lay with me for five more minutes?" and my favorite... "When you're done with Sissy, can you come back and lay with me again?" Then I usually end up dozing off in the last bed I lay in and either startle myself awake or my husband wakes me up hours later.

Tonight, my toddler was restless and tossed and turned until nearly 10:00. So, I kissed him goodnight and crossed my fingers he would stay in his bed. I walked back to the kitchen to face the mess from the busy day. I wiped the sleep from my eyes, threw my sweaty hair in a clip, and got to work. Did I mention we have yet to turn our AC on so it's 79 degrees in our house?

The second shift: Switch the laundry, start a new load in the washer. Unload the clean dishes from the dishwasher and fill it right back up again with dirty ones. Wipe down the table and counters, round up more dirty dishes, pile up miscellaneous toys, and tidy up things left on the floor. Hand wash a few big bowls and step on dirt as I put them away. Contemplate leaving the crumbs and dirt and grass on the floor to be tomorrow's problem... then grab the broom. Empty the dustpan, prep the coffee maker, straighten the pile of unopened mail, and then snap a picture of a clean sink because I'm pretty darn proud of myself.

11:02pm.

Just as quickly as I thought, "I could have been sleeping for a whole hour already!" my mind shifted to "I get to clean up after my family and do it all again tomorrow."

FIND THE JOY.

I get to teach my toddler how to regulate his emotions. I get to be my children's safe place at nap and bedtime. I have a riding lawnmower and gas to run it so I can cut our big, beautiful lawn. I get to facilitate and witness my kids' summer memories in real time. I get to eat supper with my kids! We have appliances that make cleaning dishes and clothes so easy.

I can be hard to focus on the good when you're in the middle of the stress and the mess. But I am so grateful for that moment of JOY at the end of it all. And with my bedroom window open to let in some cool night air, I'm able to hear my husband's boots walking up to the house, safe and sound.

It's a good, good life.

XO, Courtney