All in a Day's Work

As I was getting ready for bed last night, I thought about my day and stood there amazed at how much I was able to get done.  I don't post this as a "look at me" because these full days happen in every home where there is a mother.  I post it because I am amazed at the gift God has given women to do so much in a day because, afterall, much is required at our hands and we need the added blessings to do it all. 

So, yesterday, I fed Avery at 7:30 but was exhausted from going to bed at 1am the night before that I asked Braden (who didn't have to go to work until 11) if I could lay down for a little longer.  He took care of the girls until I got up at 8:30.  I put Avery down for her morning nap, got dressed, had breakfast with the family (which Braden had made), then ran to the library with Taryn to pick up some books we had requested.  We got home, said goodbye to dad, and read a dozen books.  They took their bath, got dressed and ready, then they went to read and play for a while.  I defatted my beef broth I made the day before and bagged it for the freezer while they played.  Then we had lunch, read more stories, and I put them down for naps.  Shortly thereafter, my visiting teachers came and stayed for about an hour.  After they left, I started cleaning up the house which was in shambles.  I cleaned the bath tub, toilet, vanity, and floor in the bathroom, then tidied Avery's room, the basement, the living room, and the kitchen.  When the girls woke up, Taryn went and played while Keara and I prepped everything to cook a whole chicken fryer and broth.  Then we went upstairs sand organized my sewing supplies which had gotten quite out of hand lately.  I finished cleaning the dining room and then we picked apart the chicken and finished the broth.  Then we started making dinner, ate it, cleaned up after it, got in pajamas, and then started making cookies.  First we made sugar cookies, then chocolate chip, then reese's pieces, then oatmeal, then oatmeal raisin (company is coming today, hence the cleaning the house).  In the middle of it, I made frosting and we decorated the cookies.  I put them to bed, fed Avery and put her down, then finished the rest of the cookies.  In total, we made 150 cookies in about 2 hours.  Amidst all this, I did 4 loads of laundry, which I folded after putting Avery to bed.  Then I cleaned up the house again, mopped the floor, did the dishes, put the laundry away, and finally plopped on the couch with Braden at 11:30 pm to watch the end of the Suns' game.  (NOTE: he works late on Thursdays and then plays basketball from 9-10:30 pm)  It was completely disappointing to see them lose when they had fought to well to win, but oh well.  Woven into all of that was also taking care of 2 pooped pants with my potty training 2 year old, nursing my baby 4 times, and entertaining the three girls while trying to be superwoman. 

So, as I stood there in the bathroom, brushing my teeth, I had two thoughts.  First, it is a good thing God created women because if there were only men, only a couple things would get accomplished each day.  And second, I'm pooped.  Thank goodness for sleep.