I love Sunday afternoons--I hate Mondays

I love Sunday afternoons. Once we are home from church and Felicity is down for a nap, the rest of us enjoy lunch together, after which there are many activities to chose from. Generally I take advantage of the opportunity to nap right along with Felicity (I LOVE MY BED AND PILLOW). However, when I can stay awake and discipline myself, I realize that this is truly the best time for blogging and journal writing. I have been keeping a pregnancy journal since I learned I was expecting Aubrielle--something I haven't done in 11 years when pregnant with Dallin. It has been so helpful to record the changes, aches and pains, and the joys of expecting another baby.

Now blogging is another story altogether, as it will eventually make up a family history for my children to go back and read someday. I am thoughtful and considerate as to what I blog, knowing that it is not just something for my girlfriends to read. I only hope that my children will appreciate it when the time comes for them to look back on their childhood. Oh, how I wish that I had a journal or family history to read. I have no doubt that it would be helpful to me now, as I blindly navigate the obstacles and traffic jams of life that lay before me.

I love to bake on Sunday afternoons. Sure, I also love to bake during the week, but on Sundays Richard is home and gladly steps in as sous chef. It's great to have a sous chef: "Honey, I'm done at this counter. Would you please clean it up?" Or, "I need 3 eggs beaten, please." "How does this taste?" Why, you may wonder, is he so willing to be my sous chef? Because he knows that I bake for him. He also knows that inevitably the next day he'll be able to take what's left to work to share. He likes that part. Today, however, is different. As I have been typing this blog, Richard has been in the kitchen baking--what else?--chocolate chip cookies. And he just brought me a warm one. Fantastic!

Sunday afternoons also involve phone calls to family members, homework for Richard and the boys, and Scout requirements. The homework part I could certainly do without, but the phone calls to family members are worth the time involved, especially given the fact that we don't have any close relatives here in the state of Colorado.

With all of the options available to us for Sabbath day activities, you'd think I would look forward to Sundays more. But I don't. Sometimes getting all 6 of us out the door to church on time is a royal pain in the neck: the kids are slow at their chores and Richard and I would love nothing more than to sleep in! Okay, so you could argue that on Sunday mornings we do get to sleep in till 6:15a.m., as opposed to 5:00a.m. on school days. Even on Saturday mornings we are up and about early in the morning to strip beds, run 8 loads of laundry, scrub house, go grocery shopping, take Dallin to Scouts at the church 25 minutes away, and every third Saturday cut 3 heads of hair. And that's just in the cold months of the year. When spring and summer are in bloom we add to all that lawn work, car washing/vacuuming, garage cleaning/organization, and family bike rides, park trips, and barbeques. Whew! Is it any wonder why we are so exhausted on Sundays? Hence why I love Sunday afternoons for the downtime.

One more thing--and I know I'm not alone when I say this... I hate Mondays!!! Since we as a family do our best to observe the Sabbath Day, Monday comes likes a rude awakening. Not being able to wipe down bathrooms, dust, do laundry, mop the kitchen floor, or vacuum for 24 hours means that each daily chore takes that much longer than it does during the week. I know you know what I'm talking about! And inevitably my every Monday begins with someone having wet the bed, necessitating an additional load of laundry on top of everything we accumulated from Sunday. And let's not forget that Monday means getting up at 5:00a.m. again for the next 5 days!

I am so grateful, though, to my Heavenly Father for the blessings we receive as a family through obedience to the commandments, namely keeping the Sabbath Day holy. I have no doubt that He helps us during the other 6 days of the week, merely for observing His one. I am grateful for a husband who works hard (2 to 3 jobs at a time) to provide well for our family and to enable me to be a full-time mom. I am grateful for each of my children, and even for the challenges they bring to my life. I am grateful to be a mom. It's what I always aspired to be. I hope and pray that Heavenly Father will continue to guide and direct me in this journey called life. Props to my girlfriends who are also striving to find joy in the journey. You are my peeps!

Love, Cara