Thursday, September 25, 2008

Content!

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It's one of those quiet days, the morning started out pretty hectic, if you have school aged children then I need to say no further, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It's harder to get them out the door on time than it is to give birth, for me at least....by the time they're both ready to leave and in the car, I am quite certain I could have popped out one or two babies. No kidding! LOL

But that was then, this is now and here I sit at the computer, my front door is open and I'm listening to the wind rustling outside and the cars driving by once in a while, some military clad airman on his way to or from work......and the pugs who seem to think that this whole neighborhood is THEIR turf, anything that moves or breathes gets barked at. They've yelled at the wind a couple times and I think it's the funniest thing....want to see my view from the computer desk:

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I've been wanting to catch up on my reading but honestly haven't had a chance, first I was sick and now with Curt working these weird hours, it means that everything falls on me. Usually at night he will help Jasmine with her homework while I fix dinner and do the dishes etc....then he helps me overlook the kids showers and reading and bedtime routines.

From 3:30pm until 11pm I am going non stop, it's just continuous crazy hectic couple of hours until I can sleep.

I know you're all sitting there wondering why I am telling you these things, you probably don't care about it LOL But it's for my family's sake, they're the ones that do want to hear about the nitty gritty, the mundane details, what the kids are doing or what I'm doing....it's a way to keep us all connected and closer over the thousands of miles that separate us.

So anyway, as I was saying....the kids get out of school at 3:45pm and by the time we get home it's 4:15pm, right away, they ask for a snack, poor things are hungry since they had their lunch at 11am, I mean that's along time for little kids to go without eating......heck that's a long time for ME to go without food LOL

After the snacks and juices are handed out, they sit down and relax for a bit, Nicholas usually playing the Wii and Jasmine on her computer playing a game or on the phone with her best friend from Idaho. I'm already going through backpacks, sifting through the hundreds of papers they send home, honestly WHY so much paper???? UGH. I sort it all into piles, what we keep, homework and trash.

After that is done, it's usually around 4:45pm and that's when I start dinner so that we can eat around 5:30pm. Which reminds me, what time is dinner at your house? Back home in South Africa we were always running around and working, so dinner was around 7 or 8pm....which now would NEVER work for us, hubby gets home from work around 4:30pm and is usually already starving LOL

Once dinner is done, the kids again go off and play together for a little while I do the dishes and clean the kitchen....then it's bath time, everyone takes their showers and puts on pj's, settles into mommy's bed and we do homework. Nicholas doesn't have any so he's content sitting there cuddled up watching cartoons or playing with the pugs while I help Jasmine with hers. This poor child has SO much homework each night and soon they'll be expected to do book reports on top of it too....she has math, spelling, 30 minutes of reading and then social studies or anything else she didn't have time to finish in class. It's a LOT and by the time she goes to bed she's beat, heck I'M beat and I'm not even doing it.

Bedtime for the kids is 9pm and only after they're asleep do I then go around the house one last time picking up toys, turning off video games and computers, putting away any last load of laundry I have left, setting the breakfast table for the morning, getting their backpacks ready, signing homework agendas and any other notes I have to for school and removing from the freezer whatever I need for the next day's meals. I put it in the refrigerator to thaw out overnight.

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I'm beat, I'm honestly exhausted by the time my head hits the pillow, so reading is out of the question, as it is I watch all my new shows in between division, multiplication, pronouns and suffixes. Yes my life is THAT exciting, but yet each morning I wake up invigorated, restored and with a smile on my face because no matter how hard I thought I had it the day before, when I look at the smiling faces of my children and get a hug from my hubby telling me he loves me and appreciates everything I do.....THAT is all the reward I need. THAT is true contentment.

So here's my question....what is contentment for you?


Two Years Ago: The Things That Nourish Us
One Year Ago: LOVE Fall Season

19 comments:

Frugal Finds said...

Great pictures!!!

Mamajil said...

Contentment for me is my family and all that it entails to run my brood!!I love sitting back and watching them play,talk,live....I love being a wife and mom...its not easy but its worth it!!! Sounds like you feel the same :)

I love your pictures they are great!

Anonymous said...

Great post Sandra.
Contentment for me is giving it all to God and resting in that.

Anonymous said...

Lovely post, and I totally empathise. Having two lots of homework to help with, trying to keep the little ones focused and soothe the frustration when they don't understand something.

...because no matter how hard I thought I had it the day before, when I look at the smiling faces of my children and get a hug from my hubby telling me he loves me and appreciates everything I do.....THAT is all the reward I need. THAT is true contentment. Me too.

Love and hugs.

Sarah x

Mozi Esme said...

I love your version of contentment!

And your schedule sounds quite busy but rewarding.

Susanne said...

Some days I feel like I hit the floor running and don't stop until I crawl back into bed around 11 p.m.

I can't believe they are giving Jasmine that much homework at her age. Seems like an awful lot for a kid whose already in school all day long. I always had a hard time with it when my kids were that age and brought home piles of stuff like that.

Michelle said...

I feel as if somedays the day is busy and other days seem to drag along like a turtle..Hard to believe that Jasmine has so much homework. blah...

Jill said...

My contentment is the same...seeing the faces of the people I love every morning.

Pennies In My Pocket said...

Contentment for me is more than just being happy with what I have, but looking at my life through God's eyes....as a parent would look at their child's life...seeing the love and admiration and hoping that child feels it and knows that's all they need.

gail@more than a song said...

Contentment, family, home and friends....and learning to be content with what God gave me and trusting Him and his word.

Anonymous said...

Hi Sandra,
I was just thinking about this today. Inspite of just going through a major hurricane I feel happy and content. God has been so good to us.When we are resting in God we have true contentment. I love this post.
Hugs,
Elizabeth

Lavinia said...

My goodness.....your evenings are so full....your whole day, in fact....two kids and a household and the pugs, keeps you on the go....once school starts everything gets so busy...sigh....

That is such a cosy picture, everyone piling on the bed to do homework....

I never liked or agreed with my daughter getting so much homework, but what can you do.....

It's a different world out there. I don't even remember very much homework in highschool...did I even do any or did I just goof off for five years????

I must have! Oh well, the memory is not what it once was...

I wish for you, more sleep! But I too am a card carrying member of the "folding laundry at 1 a.m. club".

Amy said...

Wooo weeee!!! I am tired reading this!! You are such a great Mom, Sandra! I love your heart for your children, honey and your home... it really blesses and inspires me!

Ok, so I was thinking about contentment, and I think what that means to me is to live in the now moment... being fully awake and aware of each moment... and loving the now, and not wanting the later... hope that makes sense...

Hugs.. Amy

heidi @ ggip said...

Right now contentment is just being alive and keeping up.

Our dinner is around the same time as yours for the same reasons.

Michelle said...

great post Sandra! That sure is contentment to be told how much you are loved and appreciated for what you do!

Renee said...

Wonderful post! My ideal of contentment? Fall, nature walks, spending the day at home with the family.

Christina said...

I love the picture of your dogs by the front door. Aren't they cuties.

I know what you mean by having to eat early. With the guys in the military having to get up so early 5pm is like eating supper at 7pm to them.

crystal said...

Oh....sigh. What a great post. Your day sounds like a mirror image of my own!

Minus the newborn.

Contentment for me is sniffing his downey-soft feathers while I hold him at night, after the kids all go to bed and the craziness of the day is put to rest.

GranthamLynn said...

Sandra,
I really enjoyed this post. I know what you mean about running around crazy. I love the photo's you added how creative. You have a wonderful outlook and it is o.k. to fuss a little. Fuss to the sista's we get it and understand.
My daughter fusses to me some because she just doesn't get her man but do any of us? I mean God created them to be aliens sometimes. LOL. I loved this post and I guess to answer your ? about contentment I guess it is doing what I am doing. Being and becoming a child of God and being happy and content with what he has in store for me.
Thanks again for this post and for getting us all thinking.
Have a Blessed week.
Smiles,
Sherry