Stamina

This parenting thing is a marathon.  I have never in my life been talented at anything but sprint-style activities.  Practicing instruments daily?  Horribly inconsistent, but when the yearly competition came around, watch out, I was a practice machine and always placed well.  Tests?  Crammer, and got straight A's.  Daily devotions?  I stink.  When I try to improve my habits in that area, I usually end up going whole hog on something for a couple weeks before sinking back to the old ways.  Research?  Gathered all the data and wrote up the dissertation and published two papers in the last 3 months of a nearly 6 year Ph.D.  It is a sad character flaw that I am not good at slow and steady (excepting my perfected ability to slowly and steadily procrastinate), and it is showing.  No wonder God sent me children...I just hope I learn the lessons I'm supposed to without completely screwing them up in the process (and many days I seriously doubt that's possible!!).

Today was one of those days when the kids were not actually behaving all that maliciously, and I could see with my logical mind that they are the greatest gift I've ever gotten, but I was just TIRED.  Physically tired, and tired of life with them.  The constant noise, whining, needs, questions, telling me about things, wanting praise or validation...enough!!!!  Sometimes you just want to get away and can't.  And then you wake up tomorrow and it all starts again.  So, we prayed for new attitudes and energy come morning, and I look forward to a fresh start to the week.  I am grateful for those little guys...and tonight, for bedtime :) 

Now, off to learn my lessons by doing one load of laundry before it becomes six, to clean the living areas well enough that I am motivated to keep it clean all week, and to plan out how we're going to lay the tile in the bathroom (Reuel has all the backerboard and drywall up, yippee!  We're really getting somewhere!).