Sometimes people ask me how we manage, without a maid, and having the boys home all the time, since they don't attend regular school. To be honest, I am not sure too, but looking at how some other mums cope with multiple kids and homeschooling, I guess we'll have to say it can be done. There are those wonderful times, when the boys are playing peacefully together, the kids are all willing to learn and help around the house, and you feel a sense of accomplishment from staying home with these little ones. Then there are the rough days or hours, which have you pulling at your hair and wondering "How on earth did I get to this state?". Meanwhile, the house is usually messy, fights are commonplace, and you're either stepping on Lego or cleaning up some puddle of something or other (and hopefully its pee, and not poop).
Yesterday was one of those days. We managed to go out of the house (in spite of the big boy being under the weather, and waking up much earlier than usual). The boys got a little crazy on the way home from being over-tired, and were really noisy in the cab. I came home with a pounding headache, and ended up napping with Lil J (after he took ages to settle down), and then Junior J, tired out, decided to nap with us. I woke up, and found that Junior J had wet the bed, so we cleaned up. Then it was dinner prep (and I had no idea what to cook, and the boys were having bad appetites after falling sick), and the hubs was not back yet. Lil J wanted to play with the rice I was scooping out for dinner, and proceeded to fling 2 handfuls across the kitchen. Picking up all those grains occupied the boys for 15 minutes or so, while I started chopping and cooking stuff. Lil J was hungry, and tried to raid the larder for Cheerios. I poured some out for him, only to have him pour them all over the floor! So it was more picking up time. Then I poured out a cup of water to feed Lil J, only to have him pour the water all over the table (and on his brother's collection of dino books!). Thankfully, the hubs came home while I was drying out all the books, and I could finish cooking the rest of dinner. I managed to cobble together a meal (sushi for the boys, and I need to work on those rolling skills), and I heaved a sigh of relief when the boys ate it all up.
Then there was the other day, where Lil J pooped in his diaper, and it leaked without me knowing. Junior J stepped in his brother's poop, yelled, and promptly started walking to the toilet in a panic. So there was this poop trail to clean up... plus the bath mat which Junior J stepped on with his poopy feet. And the poopy toddler with the leaky diaper. And the distraught 5 year old with poopy feet. So the boys went into the tub, the mat into the washing machine, and I spent tub time mopping and cleaning up the floor.
But these are the days that get me praying hard. These are the times that remind me that this homemaking and parenting journey is a long road we have to travel, while looking to God for hope and strength. It is the hard moments that help me to remember that I cannot do this alone. So I am thankful. For the crazy days of cleaning, that remind me that I am not perfect and that I do not have it all together, much as I like to think I do. For all the help I get, from my parents who help out, to the hubs, who tired as he is, always hangs out with the kids after work. For the laughter and joy the boys bring, which makes the hard days easier.
So if you were to ask me, how do we manage? I'd say there's no magic formula to staying home and staying sane. We just take it day by day, sometimes hour by hour. We pray hard. And somehow, God always brings us through each day.
What are you thankful for this week?
