Oh sure, the rest of you with normal jobs took the “day off.” NBD, you say.
Well, I haven’t had a day off from my job for a while. We parents never do.
Exactly.
But it’s been a rough 6-8 weeks of sickness, holidays, birthdays, botched birthday parties and then botched holiday plans due to any variety of sick. I’ve had it.
So yesterday I proclaimed it to be my day off. January 1st felt like a good time with Brian’s schedule so what the heck!?
I did let Brian stay in bed and took the boys to the couch before 7:00am. I served them Cheerios, dry in a plastic bowl, and read to them until Dad staggered out.
He started waffles and I started out the door.
Brian gave me a sweet Loki running jacket for Christmas and the new flurries and the 15 degree temps welcomed me as I ran around the neighborhood.
I got home to an immaculate kitchen, the kids in the basement with Dad and an uninterrupted shower.
I fed myself a second breakfast around 10:00am and then settled into the couch for the Rose Parade. Yes, INTO. It’s a hand-me-down couch who has seen better days.
I didn’t get up from said couch until after Brian served me homemade pizza and I needed a second helping.
This might have been my 3rd helping… I lost track.
There was also this cool story ABC did about Louis Zamperini and his faith. So much of the hype around him is about the war and his struggle as he was tortured. But ABC told how he found peace in God through Billy Graham and walking with faith. He forgave his captors and wanted others to know peace too. It was such a redeeming story in the midst of all the pomp and circumstance of the day. (LZ was declared the Grand Marshal of the Parade but died in July. His family represented him in the parade.)
Watching the parade!
I got so lazy at one point I asked Elam to pee for me. He looked confused as if this might actually be a task I expected him to complete.
We watched a horrible Gopher bowl gam (did I say “we” – it was more me, then even I fell asleep. Brian got to see some of it… very little actually) Then I pried myself loose long enough to take the kids sledding and snow boarding.
Elam rocks. Made 3 runs before he fell. He is so proud to have something of his own that he excels at!
You can see 4 shadows on top of the hill. It was a beautiful day for snow games.
I played with the kids while Brian cooked his third meal from scratch (to be fair, I had the ingredients and recipes all ready for him). We had a lovely quiet meal as the kids asked for thirds!
I resisted the temptations to put away clothes, toys or the Legos. I denied myself the pleasure of cleaning up the bathroom mirror. I didn’t sweep or wash the floor as I’ve been meaning to. I left stinky sweaty laundry for another day.
It was bliss.
Then I woke up today feeling as if someone pulled the plug. (To which Elam responded, “Do you not have any more electricity in you, Momma?!”)
Why would one day off leave me expecting a surge in energy? Why would I think it would fix my tempter, patience and even my kids who didn’t have mom distracted for a change?
Sigh.
What it did do was remind me the world still spins when I leave the dishes in the sink. It reminds me Brian is good at taking care of us too. It reminds me to stop being such a martyr. The house didn’t collapse under all that dust and mayhem. Miracle.
Sabbath: it’s a good idea. God even made sure we didn’t forget it. It made His Top Ten Good Resolutions in 2015 (or 1815, or 1015).
What it also did was propel the Askers to go all out this afternoon. Paint. Entry. Dining. Kitchen trim.
We decided doing the cabinets might be a bit too much…
More on painting another time.
But rest. I liked it. After a few hours and a few meals cooked by him, I said to Brian, I could get used to this.
Putting my feet up in 2015.