A Week Without My Wife

For the past week, I have been trying not to burn the house down while my wife was away. See, April (my wife)and her friends from England, all got together at one of their homes in Florida. She spent six wonderful days there while I was home with the children, attempting what I thought was a the impossible.
I chose this as the topic for a blog entry because I feel it sheds light on the importance of wives/moms in our lives.
I knew right off the bat that this was going to be hard. I knew this because I have received countless phone calls from April in the past relaying her frustration with the days tasks and the monotony and exhaustion therein. So, to avoid a great deal of heartache (i.e. house cleaning), I did an initial cleaning of the house, packed the kids up and drove down to my brother’s house in Colorado Springs, where we would stay for four of the six days, patiently awaiting the return of “sanity” (April). The time we spent in the springs was fantastic. We spent time with cousins, aunts and uncles and had an all around grand time shooting guns, riding four wheelers and being in the mountains. The time flew by. The time to return home and prepare for Aprils return quickly approached. We wanted to get home on Sunday, to ensure plenty of time was had to put the finishing touches on the house and spend some time together, just Dad and the kids.
The kids definitely took advantage of the situation, eating whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted too. They got to stay up later than normal and not take showers as often. I was at the point where I had way more tasks and responsibilities than I had time to accomplish them. So, I had to choose the things I considered most important, do those and let the other things fall upon the wayside. That’s where I get confused. I don’t recall April ever talking about this dilemma. I don’t remember a time when she spoke of having to disregard some things to get the more important ones done. What was I doing wrong? How does she do it? To me, it seemed absolutely impossible to do it all. Anyways, one day they’d get to bathe, the next, they’d straighten their room. One day, I made lunch and we had a light snack for dinner. I was a wreck! My insides were screaming for a break! I was able to get through it because there was an end in sight. None of the kids’ homework was done. Their teeth were all but falling out of their heads and dying to be brushed. There was more dirty laundry than I knew we even owned! … But, the dishes were done and the kids had fun I think my priorities were a bit askew!
Which brings me to the point: I’d like to take a moment and commend my lovely wife for all that she does. Throughout the last ten years, she has ALWAYS found a way to ensure everything gets done. There is dinner on the table when I come home. Our children always dress properly and look kept. My home has always felt like home. I know that at the end of the day, when I am spent and have nothing more to give, my sweet wife is still going strong at home, in preparation for my arrival. When we get the kids to bed, she is still folding laundry. She puts the energizer bunny to shame.  It is April who initiates family home evening each week. It is she, who gets us out the door to church on time. And it is my wife who gives the credit for all of these things to everyone but herself. I am so grateful for her in my life and can’t envision it without her. Thank you to all the Moms and wives who fight daily to ensure their families are taken care of and presentable. To those who do not these things and want to know what you aren’t doing, take a look at my wonderful wife who gives until it hurts…and ignores her needs to meet ours. Thank you Buddha! We love you.
-joe