I'm sure many of you can relate: my to-do list was just CRAZY the last few days! I've been cleaning the house, of course, in addition to a major furniture-moving project. In order to create baby's room on the main floor, we had to "shift" both our bedroom and Tim's office to different rooms. Moving a Pastor's office: NOT for the faint of heart. So in addition to working Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, I had to buy lots of groceries and get started on food, buy paint and supplies for the baby's room, get my glider rocker and crib, go to the bank, this and that from Target, Shopko, and Wal-Mart, a trip to Menards, another trip to Menards, more groceries, try to find room in the fridge for said groceries, and a beer run. DON'T forget the beer!
The hustle on moving furniture and obtaining baby items is due to the fact that our house will be FULL this Thanksgiving of happy helpers. We'll be painting, assembling, and admiring our handiwork. Some of them know what they are in for... the rest of them will know soon enough, he he he.
Getting ready for a houseful is never the most "relaxing" of tasks, especially when you throw a minor remodeling project into the mix. And this "houseful," when all is said and done, will include both my parents and Tim's, my two brothers and my sister-in-law, Tim's sister and brother-in-law, their 18-month-old, their boxer, my parents' HUGE yellow lab, both of OUR labs, and of course, Tim and me.
Incidentally, we have 1 1/2 bathrooms.
The menu for Thanksgiving is outrageous. Divided into five lists for me, Mom, Ashley, Marlene, and Kristal. Splitting things up DID help take some stress off. But wait, just wait until 10:00 tonight when all five of us are loaded into the kitchen, trying to take care of our "lists," making messes, laughter, and delicious smells. And drinking the aforementioned beer.
Incidentally, we do not have a dishwasher.
Yup, things are going to be a little crazy this weekend, and I LOVE IT!!! I can't help but think about how, in contrast, last year's Thanksgiving was so quiet, peaceful, and a little lonesome. Last year, Tim and I spent the weekend before Thanksgiving away in Wisconsin at my cousin's wedding. There was no way we could get away AGAIN for Thanksgiving, and neither of our families was able to visit. So this was my to-do list a year ago: 1) Rent some movies 2) Pick up Papa Murphy's pizza 3) Relax!
I'm not looking for pity here. We had an absolutely awesome time last year, just the two of us. We have church on Wednesday night, so we slept in really late on Thursday. The Packers didn't play last Thanksgiving, so we watched two movies in our pajamas, ate pizza, went for a short run in the afternoon, ate some more pizza, called our families, watched another movie, and went to bed. We. Loved. It. It was so calm, so peaceful, so controlled... much like our married life has been for the past five years PRE-CHILDREN.
I spend more than enough time thinking about all that I'm missing out on not being a mom, how I'm falling behind in the "race" (which is not an actual race so much as a self-imposed pity party in my head), and how I'm going to be 80 when my kids graduate from high school. So once in a while, I have to think about the amazing blessings of having five wonderful, calm, peaceful, controlled years all to ourselves. Don't you worry, my mommy friends. I KNOW how blessed I am to be able to go to the grocery store whenever I want. To just have 2 or 3 dog toys to pick up once or twice a week. To be able to make whatever I want for dinner, knowing that my family (Tim) will love it, and we will eat the leftovers for the next three days without complaint.
But as I prepare for this year's Thanksgiving craziness, which includes preparing the room for my precious child-to-be, I am itchy with anticipation for the craziness of bringing that child into our lives. I know it won't be easy, just like this weekend won't be. It will only be a matter of days after baby comes home before I long for the days when I had a "bedtime" of 10:00, and a regular workout schedule. But all the joy, all the laughter, all the love, all the excitement that this weekend and, soon enough, my child will bring... I just can't wait.
I hope you all have an amazing Thanksgiving holiday with your special people, whether it's just the two of you, or a houseful. Count your blessings past, present, and future! THANKS BE TO GOD!!! (and GO, PACK, GO!)
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