Today was a glorious day-

Rodney stayed home from work today which meant I could sleep a little longer while he played with the baby. Which also meant that, because for him being home was a bonus due to a doctor's appointment for his knee, he took a lot of responsibility for Will. He held him whenvever he could, took him for a walk when he got fussy, and got him ready for bed. He also got up with him a few times last night (our weekend schedule screwed us/Will up, so he's back to getting up every 3 hours or so).

It's so crazy how this parenting thing has been so completely life-changing that it takes two people for it to feel like you're not losing your mind sometimes. It definately refreshed me having Rodney's help today.

I think I feel like I needed it lately because I've come down with a cold over the past few days. Usually this would not be a big deal (and it still isn't really), but I think due to lack of sleep my body is trying to pull all the energy it can to repair itself so I feel REALLY slow and tired. I even felt a little achy/sore yesterday. Today is better (I had Rodney get me some Claritin and I took a long afternoon nap).

It's interesting to me how I have all these things I want to do with my day and it never ceases to amaze me how I can never seem to accomplish them all. Here's my ideal schedule:

7/7:30 am- up, breakfast, read, baby plays
8:30- walk/run
9/9:30- baby naps, I take a shower, get ready for the day
10:30- baby up, playtime, run errands
12:30ish- baby naps, I sing, work on Bach Society music, cook/clean
3:30ish- baby up, play, get baby ready to go with Rod while I go to: Bach,voice,etc.
6:00- home for the night, have dinner with Rod, get baby ready for bed
8:00pm- baby to bed, relax for a few hours before going to bed myself

Most days we can pretty much accomplish these things, but some days are harder than others. Usually that means Will was pretty fussy and wanted to held quite a bit, OR we were up a lot the night before, so I try to sleep when he does which means I get very little done that day. On these days I usually have to prioritize. Sometimes that means I don't get a shower or take a walk. Sometimes I just have to be O.K. with a messy/dirty house. The only non-negotiable for me right now is singing everyday. I should really add some sort of exercise to the list of non-negotiables, too.

Recently I have taken to marveling at women to have multiple children and seem to have such smooth-running households, not to mention look showered, make-uped, and generally rested. Maybe this is a facade, or maybe they are just so intune to the rhythm of their daily lives with a family that each moment of the day has a purpose and that purpose is fulfilled.

As I reflect on this a bit more I think of some pretty amazing moms I knew growing up. I think of Julie Fritzsche, the mom of my best friend from elementary school, Dawn. She had 4 kids, 2 biological daughters and 2 foster children which they adopted. Her home her home was ALWAYS a place of warmth and love where her children came first. I spent as much time as possible with Dawn and her family because it always seemed like their house was a center for their kids. I NEVER felt like I was a burden, and I suspect neither did her children. I'm pretty sure her house wasn't always clean and picked up either. I think of my friend Ashley's mom, Trina. I met Ashley at community college my first year after graduating high school and we spent gobs of time at her house. Trina's home was so light and loving and filled with good food, good music, and a hearty love for God and her children. I think of Sue Cornell, another mom of a friend growing up. Her home was the meeting place after school. She gave us jobs so we could have extra spending money, she gave us advice on school and boys and life and we were ALWAYS welcome in her home. I think of my own mother, who was not always patient with us, was uptight about the way her house looked and ran, sometimes didn't let my brother and sister and I just be kids. But, she prayed with us, sang to us, cooked us the BEST food, believed we were the most beautiful and talented children she could have asked for, and wouldn't let others tell her how to be. She was, is, a strong woman.

I aspire to be all these women.

Will I ever get there? Who knows. I suppose it helps to remember to take each day, each moment, as it comes and rely upon my intelligence to work through each problem as it occurs, all the while reminding myself that life is too short to get caught up for too long in any one episode or issue. It also helps to keep my sense of humor, read a book that's not about solving my baby's latest issue, and keep my girlfriends close. Some days will suck, some days will be good. Still others will be great.

I take heart in knowing that today was good (thanks to Rodney) and tomorrow is another day.

Now to bed...