One of the most difficult things for me about homemaking is the cyclical nature of the work. I changed a dozen diapers yesterday. I’ll change a dozen diapers today. I wash and fold and put away laundry that I will wash and fold and put away again next week.
When I finish a photo announcement, I have a sense of accomplishment because it’s complete and even if I do something similar, I will never make the same exact one again. In teaching, there’s the same sense of accomplishment. Even if math will be taught again tomorrow, that particular lesson has been taught, mastered and put behind us.
It’s hard for me to feel like I’ve accomplished anything when I do housework. I enjoy when my home is clean, but I don’t enjoy the work itself and I don’t feel pride in what I’ve done. But, like most everything in life, what I feel is irrelevant. I need to do what my family needs me to do, even if no one is going to pat me on the back for changing the umpteenth gross teething diaper or vaccuuming the floor. It’s what I’ve been called to do. And, at the very least, I can enjoy how my family is blessed by my work.
I will make the best I can
There’s a joy we find in living
And a love that’s in your hands.”
THE NORMALS
I feel silly holding my hand up and saying, “I can totally relate.” but I can. Except that most of the time I enjoy the work and do take pride in my housework. too much pride. so much pride that when I do get the house all nice and clean then I get frustrated with anyone who is the first to change this clean status. My kids and husband are more important than how clean my house is. People matter more than things. This is my big lesson for now.
I seem to always be at one extreme or the other. Either I am focusing on the house to the detriment of life and others, or focusing on life and others to the piling up of everything around the house. Balance-I seek balance!
Which would bring me to something else I have wanted to comment on. I love your new business. I have a few ideas in my head for something very similar, though I wasn’t thinking with photos. I worked in a bookstore/giftshop that did most of the invitation and other misc. printing in town. I loved the part of my job and ever since then have wanted to figure out how to make a home business out of it. How did you get started and how do you find the time? I am jealous. There are several great ideas in my head but I have no clue and sometimes just no energy! how to make them be anything more than that.
I too feel like I can’t even get the kitchen clean before it is dirty again. And I never get all the laundry folded and put away before there is more to do. And this grows exponentially with each child and we want lots more kids….ARGHHHHH! but wait—mwohahaha! By then the oldest will be old enough for chores! Those things we dreaded when we were younger now we can’t wait to dish out. Poor Stephen. He is the oldest and will get the worst. Oh, well, I was the firstborn and I turned out the best. (if I do say so myself) It will be good for him.
Adrienne,
I probably need to err a little more in the direction of taking too much pride in my housework some days :o/ I also depend a lot on Mike’s help and I’m waiting for the kids to get bigger so they can take over what he usually does!
On the business thing, I had software that made it possible, and I had thought about it, so one day, I just did it. I made some fake announcements and practiced. I offered them as a trade for things I needed to get my first real customer. I offered announcements really cheap to get some new faces in my portfolio. I work on designs and the website when Kate is asleep (napping and at night.) I actually can get a lot done with Lexi on my lap. We’ll see how it goes if/when I have a steady stream of customers!
Kristen-
How are you printing the announcements? I was just thinking about how much ink it would take to print them at home. Nice work, by the way.
I get them printed professionally locally. Personally, I don’t trust home-printed pictures to last over the long haul (50+ years.)
Excellent post! Remembering that all of the mundane things in life (housework, laundry, taking care of 3 little ones) are for a purpose causes me to want to take more pride in them.
That’s what I figured. You can never trust your printer to spit out the right colors either, I’ve noticed.
I’m one of those weird people that just loves cleaning. I love the house being clean even more, but the cleaning part is such a great stress reliever for me. (I also change every diaper of Kyrie’s… it’s not that Rick wouldn’t be willing, it’s just that I don’t really get tired of it.) I might be singing a different tune when baby #2 comes along. :)
Toddler diapers are SO much worse than baby diapers. I’d happily change 24 Lexi diapers a day if I could avoid Kate’s poopy diapers.
I’ve never enjoyed cleaning but I love everything about cooking, crafts and most other womanly skills. To each her own.
lol, I hear you about the toddler diapers (I changed three of my younger siblings until they were potty trained)! That’s why I’m going to delay giving Kyrie solids for as long as possible. ;)
Re: toddler diapers v. infant diapers–here, here. Amen. True dat. I am in full accord with Kristen’s thoughts.
Re: original post–you said this really well. I have such a hard time with the mundane, repetitious tasks of homemaking lately. One day, I sprawled out on the floor in protest, started up at my husband standing over me, and asked, “Is this all there is? Because, if so, I quit.” How’s that for cheerfully giving to your family? ;o)
Mostly, I enjoy providing for my family in this way. I wouldn’t want it differently. But the actual application can be utter tedium. I find that I spend a lot of my “free” time (naptime, after bedtime) doing things I *must* (laundry, cleaning) instead of things I *want* (knitting, scrapbooking, reading).
Serina,
You really get where I am at. I think with two children the amount of “free” time is reduced and having lots of it taken up by chores is difficult. I’d love to have more time to read, to work on new sample designs, to sew, to knit, etc.
i just read this book “made from scratch” by zimmerman, i think, that was talking about this. how we just keep going and going, and while i can enjoy the task occassionally, the idea that i will have to do it all over again and never get it done is what makes me think im going to lose it. i love cooking, but im just not very organised when it comes to the cleaning, tidying thing. sigh. one day, i hope…