On Your Marks, Get Set

In the not so distant past my husband came home to find that his dinner was not cooked and not even started. Since this is a very rare occasion he didn't really know what to do with himself so he stomped around the house and barked and was just plan grumpy until his tummy was full. I was thinking about this and a number of other similar things yesterday as I baked dozens of cookies and muffins for my family.

There has been talk of me working. For months now we have been living pay cheque to pay cheque and while the bills are getting paid and we have clothes, food and shelter there isn't much for surprises. So as I'm baking, I'm thinking my family really isn't ready for me to be around less. I think my family really has no idea what I do for them and going to work will be a super big shock. Maybe a good shock because there are days when I feel taken for granted. Don't get me wrong my husband works very hard and I am well aware of the things he does do. I'm aware of them because when he does them that's one less thing on my job list. But there are days when I don't appreciate; in fact hate the things on my own job list. Like when the dog shreds the chair cushions that weren't put away properly (by the overworked, overtired husband) it's me who gets to pick up each piece of stuffing that the wind has blown all over the yard.

My friend runs a day home. She was watching sibblings whose Mom was a teacher. They would be dropped off at 730am and picked up at 500pm. They would go home and get to watch one show while the Mom made dinner. They would eat dinner then pick out their clothes for the next day and off to bed by 700pm so they could get up in time to get dropped off.

When both parents are working full time it's a team effort. One of you is feeding the kids while the other one is showering. You both walk in the door at the end of the day tired, hungry and your kids are equally tired and hungry. You're both cooking supper which is something fast (because you're hungry) and cleaning up. The kids are to bed and if I'm teaching then I have planning and marking to do (about 2-3 hours worth.) Then there is the laundry. A load gets done when one of you realizes you're out of socks or underwear. It will get done one evening but not folded or put away until maybe the weekend, it may even sit in the dryer for a day or two. On the weekend one of you is mowing the grass while the other is scrubbing toilets. The kitchen floor may be put off for an extra week. After church you run out for groceries, eat supper, plan for the week and fall exhausted into bed. Oh and that stuffing that has been spread all over the yard... I'm not sure what will happen to that.

Is my family ready for this? I don't think I'm ready for that but the snow pants must be bought so I'm job hunting; reluctantly.