Outside observers

Yesterday while Mom and I were chatting (on a writing break), we got to talking about the way Ben and I manage things.  House, kids, money, work, driving, camping....just everything.

She said that as she's watched us, she noticed that we're either both working or both resting.

Which is true.  Unless I'm napping or Ben is out with the dog, we're either both doing a job (paid, out of the home or maintenance in the home) or both resting.

It made me think that maybe I should teach my kids to look to marry a person that they love enough that they're willing to work so that they can rest with them.

For example, I hate doing dishes and folding laundry.  If we work together to get them done, or he does one while I do the other, then when we finish we do something together.  We'd both rather be playing with kids than working at out-of-the-home jobs, but since we both work  we get to do great things (like backpacking trips or visits to faraway family) all together with the kids.  (As opposed to Ben working insane hours so we could scrape by).

I like it!  It works!  And it makes me happy!  It makes the challenges we come up against seem much more manageable....I guess because we handle most things together!

And I thought...most of my leisure time is spent with Ben.  And how great is that? 

I'm glad for her observation and my analysis of it.

Support

This week I'm grateful for people who love me and love my children.

Ben has outdone himself with fixing things around the house, taking kids to do fun things, and keeping things like laundry and dishes and homework together while I wrote like a madwoman last week.

This week mom is here, and I've made such dramatic progress that I can't even stand it!  I mean, I haven't written 9 pages in one day since before Bee made her appearance!

I'm sure I could finish the dissertation without help with those things.  But my life would be a sad, sad, sleep-deprived shadow of the good thing that it is with their help.

And so I'm glad for support - not just the verbal "Go get 'em, tiger!" kind of support, but money-and-time-where-your-mouth-is support.

Light

I finally see light at the end of the tunnel.  I've started the outlines for the last two chapters, I've got one outline done and one nearly there.

So next week while Mom's here to help with kids, I'm hoping to get them both drafted, even if they're rough.

And even though writing looks like this:

I feel a lot like this:

Time to watch a movie with Ben and then eat some ice cream.