A typical day in our home.
5:00am Ryan wakes up and gets ready for work. I wake up right behind him and start his car for him
5:30 Ryan leaves for work. Tyler wakes up.
5:45 Braden and Shaelyn get up and fight over who needs the bathroom first.
6:00 leave for the morning Taxi driving.
Tyler- seminary 6:10 (or so)
Braden-Jazz band at the Jr High 6:45
6:36 Bus picks up Shae (I love how the bus stop is my driveway)
7:00 Tyler leaves Seminary and heads to Jazz Band at the High School
7:30 Cami wakes up.
7:30-8:30 Conner and Aubrey wake up, eat breakfast and we attempt to get dressed for the day
8:33 Bus picks up Cami for elementary school. I then begin my work for Jarel on the laptop if the work is available.
12:00 Finish up work. Feed the little ones lunch. Gather laundry. Attempt to do as much house work as possible before.........
1:45 when I leave to pick up Tyler from school. Mon,Wed and Fri I take him down to the Middle School for wrestling practice. Tue and Thurs I take him to Dr. Gardner's house where he does farm chores for 2 hours.
2:00-4:30 run errands until it is time to pick up Tyler from work and Braden from wrestling.
4:30 we head home. Ryan gets off of work and school.
5:00 we are home and then begins the fixing of dinner and the kids chores
6:00 clean up from dinner and kids and Ryan do homework.
7:00 Tyler, Braden, Shaelyn and Cami argue over who needs to shower first.
9:00 get ready for bed. All kids are in bed by 10:00
In all my spare time this an average week of laundry.
56 pairs of pants
56 undies
56 pairs of socks(at least)
112 shirts (includes undershirts)
56 pairs of jammies
7 tablecloths
countless wash cloths and dish towels
32 bath towels or more
and if we get to it, 8 sets of sheets and comforters.
The dishwasher is filled and emptied a minimum of 3 times a day and then there are still some left over to wash by hand at the end of the day.
I work an average of 30 hours a week between my 2 jobs. 1 with Wendys and the second job at MatSu Regional Med Center.
Ryan is in shool full time and works at least full time.
Ryan is in the Stake Young Mens Presidency and has meetings to attend at least once a week and with it being the beginning of the year and our Stake has something like 12 wards. He attends 1-2 Ward conferences on Sundays.
My house needs a good floor cleaning, wall washing, kitchen scrub down and much more. There seems to be chaos everywhere. I decided last week that something needs to give. Because the house is chaos we often find Aubrey getting into something she shouldn't and Conner spends too much time watching Noggin and playing x-box. The girls are constantly fighting. Tyler and Braden are 'too busy' to help out. I am at my wits end. Some may wander why I have been so negative lately. I say everything previously listed is a good explanation of that.
I miss my cuddle and play time with Conner and Aubrey. I miss my conversations about conspiracies and science and life with Tyler. I miss listening to Bradens nonsense. I miss sitting with my husband and talking. I miss going on dates, real dates. Driving into Palmer for a Diet Pepsi is not a date. I miss Family Home Evening. I missed church 5 Sundays in a row because of work.
I get frustrated when I see people around me who have family and friends and seemingly endless help and support from others. I get frustrated when I am told that "Someone says you need a break from your calling". I felt they should have just said what they meant "we don't think you are doing a good enough job and we know someone who has more time and can do a better job..."
I feel disappointed when I would like for family to come and visit me and my family and maybe help me relieve some burdens, or even just call or email or chat on FB. It gives me a new understanding of how my aunts and uncles must have felt when they moved away from Utah. It gives me a realization of who I can truly count on.
This brings me to what I have decided needs to be done. My Heavenly Father is my best friend. I know I can always count on him. When I feel alone, I can pray and I feel as if he has given me a hug for comfort. So number 1: I need to keep my relationship with him stronger than any other.
My family is my pride and joy. I love them more than anthing in this world. So, number 2: I need to put my relationship with my husband and children right up there with my relationship with my Father in Heaven. I find happiness when I do things for my family. So, number 3: I will serve my family with my whole heart not feeling sorry for myself but grateful that I am blessed with a husband who holds the Priesthood and who is inspired to make the right parenting choices for our children who is supportive and loves to provide learning experiences for all of us. I am blessed with 6 children who are special. They are all so talented and smart and so much fun. I love them deeply. These are my 3 priorities and I believe that if I can focus on them everything else that needs to be done will fall into place.
