Easy on the Climber
Some women look at my life and ask me how I do it. How do I raise 3 daughters (mostly) by
myself? How do I get up so early every
day? How do I work a full time job? How do I have so much energy (it’s the
coffee)? How do you find time to read so
much during the week? The truth is I
just do it. My dad told me once that
people afford what they want to and I
think he was right. He was talking about
me getting a new car. I really needed
one but the payments were pretty high.
I’d just gotten a job in Kansas City and now had rent and food and a
whole lot of other stuff. But I needed a
new car. He was right—I found a way to
afford it. And I did. I ate a lot of ramen noodles, but I was never
late on a payment.
I think the same is true for time. We make time for what we want to make time
for. It’s important to me to run every
day so I get up early to fit it in before my kids are up. It’s important to me to read a lot (reading
is like a drug—I just can’t stay away) so I find interesting ways to fit it
in. I read while I run. I read while I walk. I read while I drive (audio books!). I read while I’m drying my hair, while I get
dressed, while I do the dishes, during commercials. I always have books with me. It’s kind of ridiculous. It’s important to me to do my job well so I
work when I need do. It’s important to
me to have time with my girls, so we bake together. We watch silly TV shows together. We sing songs at the top of our lungs in the
car.
Life would be a lot easier if Nick were home. If he had a 9-5 like me (ok, so it’s an 8-4:30
but you get the idea), he could help with after school activities. He could be responsible for dinner once in a
while (ok, no). I could do the grocery shopping
alone or he could do it for me (also no). He could
take the car in for an oil change or be responsible for making sure that dental
appointments were scheduled or stay home with the kids on a snow day. To be fair, he does do those things…when he’s
home. But his schedule is so
unpredictable. When he’s home, he does
the laundry, cleaning, after school activities, eye doctor appointments and
anything else that needs doing. But we
never know when he’ll be home. And it
sure would be nice to know. Maybe we
could plan an evening out. Maybe I could
attend an evening event for work without having to make sure a babysitter was
on hand “just in case”.
Life is chaotic to be sure.
It’s busy, it’s challenging, it’s hard.
But I wouldn’t change a thing.
Why? Because I have an amazing
husband. And he gave me 3 amazing
children. Our life is an adventure. In the spring of 1998, I made an impassioned
plea to God. I asked the Almighty to
give him to me. And you know what? He said yes.
It’s the greatest gift I’ve ever received and I will do everything I can
to take care of it. And he is a
gift.
Just last week he told me a story that reminded me how
absolutely spectacular he is. He managed
to surprise me by coming home for 36 hours in the middle of his training just
for my birthday. On his way back to
Houston, there was a family flying on his flight—standby. Mom and daughter got space on the plane but
Dad didn’t make it. My husband
volunteered to give up his comfy seat in economy plus and ride up front with
the crew so that this man could be on the plane with his family. He’s an amazing man and I’m so proud to be
his wife.
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