Yesterday

Yesterday was chaos for my little family.  It was Laundry Day.  Both boys were up early.  Teacher Man was sick.  The house looked like elephants with sticky fingers had enjoyed a weekend-long playdate.  Probably not the best time to try to wean myself off of my allergy medicine, but try I did.

There was also a lot of crying.  Crying because it's never fun to be put in time-out.  Crying because when older brother gets a toy and then shows off, there really is nothing to do but cry.  Crying because you don't want to take turns on the swing.  Crying because you don't want to go inside.  I wiped a lot of noses and tears, and then I wiped my allergy-riddled nose; and then I made a decision.

Some days it's about survival, not victory laps.  It's about taking that allergy pill because you can no longer breathe. It's about letting the boys watch "Thomas" and washing all the dishes that had piled up in my kitchen.  It's about giving in when they beg for "Dinosaur Train" and scrubbing both bathrooms.  It's about hiding in their tunnel hideout and being silly.  It's about reading from the daily Bible story book at every meal because it's what your one year old wants.  It's about reading way more than two bedtime stories because you just know they need a little more positive attention.  It's about snuggling under the covers with that first boy that God gave you and reading until you can tell his eyes are heavy.  Giving them that extra love because some days are just hard.

Yesterday wasn't the norm, but is there really a normal day anymore?  Although I love my schedules and routines, much more of motherhood is about doing what is right for my family's health and character above doing what I want to do or what I think my boys should do, scrapping that plan to play outside and just taking the morning to let them rest.  I also gave myself a break from schedules last night and fell into bed at 8:30 with a plan to read, only to find that the first sentence was not gripping enough to warrant spending energy on holding the book open.

Do I have plans for this day?  Absolutely.  My type-A personality has today's meals mapped out.  My schedule-oriented self has a few jobs to do today since it's Office Day (meal planning, bill paying, Town Day-preparing).  But these are my plans, and I know full well that "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."  (Proverbs 16:9)

So here's to listening to my children and doing what is best for our family.  Here's to splurging my attention on the blessings God has given me. Here's to having a plan and chucking it out the window.