I visited a friend of mine last week at her house out in
Long Island. She’s married, with two kids under the age of four. She left her
job in real estate to be a stay at home mom. When I first walked in the door
she led me to the living room where she’d put out drinks and appetizers. Her house
was immaculate, her kids were tidy and quietly playing, and I could smell
dinner being cooked. It blew my mind, and I have to admit, it made me feel less.
We chatted about our lives, and who we’d run into lately,
people from the old crowd, current events, and the whole time she was just so
calm and collected, even as the kids spilled their drinks and jumped on the
furniture.
As the evening wound down, I just had to ask her how she did
it all. She looked at me with a smile, and said, “I just have too.” She continued
on, telling me about how she never had a minute to herself, and how sometimes
she regretted leaving her job. She said it wasn't easy, but it was worth it to
spend time with the kids.
I left feeling somewhat embarrassed that I wasn't doing as
much as I could. I walked into my house, looked around and thought, I’m going
to try.
Working a full time job, and taking care of the home is not
easy. When I finish working the last thing I want to do is clean the dishes, or
do laundry. But what I've learnt is that doing those things, is what makes a
house a home.
So this week, I pushed myself to do a little cleaning
everyday- by Wednesday it became maintenance really, and cooking something good
for dinner. And can I say, I am so satisfied. Walking into my home now, to a
clean house, and a full refrigerator makes me feel like I’m getting somewhere.
This may seem like a no-brainer to some women, but it’s not
easy for me. I read blogs where women sew clothes for their kids, or make
drapes, and clean the house, and cook three meals a day, and have time to participate
in the PA. These women are superwomen. I am not, yet.
The meals I cooked this week:
