Progress...

Being a stay at home mom is tough. Every day I do laundry and it still needs done. Every day I clean the kitchen and the bathroom and it's still dirty. Every day I discipline my boys and they still need to test the boundaries. Every day I am bound to a schedule according to the eating and sleeping patterns of my toddlers. Is there joy in this? Absolutely. Would I trade it back in a go to work? Never.

Today was a big day for me, I saw notable, measurable progress! I rarely feel that I have moments that show me marked progress in my boys, my home, or my character. God is still teaching me how to see the great work he is doing in the average ebb and flow of our daily routines. Today, when I took time to reflect, I was even more proud to be a stay at home mom. Our family couldn't be where it is at today if I couldn't be home to help keep things a bit in balance.

Anyway, here it is:

Today Nick left around noon to be gone for a few days for district assembly. This is the first time since the boys have been with us that he's left overnight. I was scared! Long story short I was pretty proud of myself for getting it all done today...alone! I was reflecting on what it was like 6 months ago at this time of day...I almost cried just thinking about it!

6 months ago it would take Nick and I both an average of 4 hours to accomplish the nights tasks. This included cooking, eating, and cleaning dinner, picking up toys, bath time, and bed time for the boys. The list seems short but together it would take a total of 4 long and crazy hours. Around 9:00 we would sit on the couch and barely squeak out a few word to each other only to stumble off to bed and be woken up an average of 2 times (often more) before morning.

Today it took me (all by myself) only 2 hours to get all of the same things accomplished! I am beaming proud of my sons, my hubby, and myself! We have worked SOOO hard and been SOOO tired for so many months and we finally are all at a place of what I consider desirable!

Yay for a happy evening that works for all of us!