A day in my life

 I wanted to document my day today for a couple reasons. 

One being, I need to learn to practice some time management and one way I’m learning to do that is by listing all of my activities- and maybe learn to say no to things I have no time for or that do not fit into my calling and ministry. 

But two, it is perhaps helpful for others to see what goes on in a somewhat average day as a stay at home/work at home woman. Some people may assume certain things about stay at home moms based on stereotypes. Whether that is fair or not is not for me to say. I can only speak from my own experience and from what I see from many of the SAHM I know. Our lives are full from sunup to sundown most days. Yes, there are days characterized by rest or boredom but those are not the norm. A day like today is closer to the norm.

One note: my husband is recovering from a bad round of bacterial pneumonia that put him in the hospital this weekend. He is home but weak. So my day did feel extra harried and exhausting just because of the extra mental weight of caring for him.

Here is what I did today.

6:45-alarm goes off. I struggle to wake up. After a long, stressful weekend and week beginning, I’m tempted to sleep longer. But I get up. My son is up too. So much for a few minutes of quiet. But that’s ok. He is always so cheerful first thing in the morning which is so cute.

7-8:30- start laundry, fix breakfast for us all, take the dogs out, vacuum the living room because the baby I babysit is coming over and there is some dog hair on the rug. 

8:30- the baby arrives. We play with her until 9:30

9:30- feed the baby, change her and put her down for a nap at 10.

10-10:30 or so- spend hands-on time doing a craft with my son. It is a sewing craft and it requires a little too much patience for my taste haha. But we finish it and it turns out pretty good!

10:45- baby is awake, I give her a bottle/ change her etc as needed

11:45 or so? Time to start lunch for my husband, son and I. I put together a quick lunch of soup for them and start keto grilled cheese for myself. 

12- I realize I’m burning the grilled cheese. The kitchen is smoky and the house smells awful from it. 

12- I eat the burnt grilled cheese which I scraped off a little bit. I don’t even sit down, just stand at the kitchen counter gobbling it down quickly along with some applesauce before getting the baby who is in her high chair.

12:30- time to feed the baby again. She eats her baby food pretty well. Afterwards, I play with her some more, play/care for my son as well, etc.I also open windows and light a candle to help with the lingering burnt sandwich smell.

2- time for baby’s second nap. I get her to sleep and then  take the dogs outside again and enjoy a few brief minutes of the sunny 50 degree weather. Then I come back inside and help my son get his jacket and shoes on so he can go play outside on this sunny day. Once he is outside playing, I go start emptying the dishwasher and cleaning the kitchen up. Get partway done and the baby wakes up.

2:30-3:30- care for the baby, read to my son, etc.

3:30- she is picked up to go home. 

3:45- I help my son change his clothes and I also change/fix my hair.

4:20- he and I depart to go get a few groceries we need. 

4:45-5:50- we are gone in town getting the groceries. We pick up a pizza to bring home.

6-6:15- I put the groceries away. We eat the pizza.

6:45- 7:30- clean up kitchen, do a few other household chores. 

7:45 or so- finally- I relax, feet up, on the couch. The first time I have really sat down just to relax and do nothing basically all day. (Other than eating supper)

8:30- time to put my son to bed: pjs on, teeth brushed, bedtime story, tuck him in, lights out.

8:45- take the dogs out one last time for the night. Feed them.

9-10:30- fold a mountain of laundry while watching the new PBS season of “All creatures great and small”: good show!

10:30-11- shower and get ready for bed.

11:09- I am typing this at this time. It has been a long, full day. I may not have much to show for it except aching feet and back but it has been a good day. Caring for my family and friends and dogs and  hopefully ministering in my little corner. 

So there was my day. Of course, there were other things that happened today- like texting with family and friends throughout the day, browsing social media a few times, and listening to  a chapter or so of an audiobook at one point.