a day in my shoes

On the 4th of July my husband was asked to work....this was good for us because he would get paid holiday pay as well as the hours he worked. He went in early and came home early and took the kids to fireworks with my brother -- I stayed home having dire need of alone time.  Everybody is happier for it, especially me.

Not intending to cheat him out of a bit of time off, which everybody needs, he was told he could take another day off to make up for the lack of real holiday.  He took yesterday.  And so did I.

I've probably mentioned that we homeschool year round and take Fridays off.  But never Mondays because if we take a day off earlier in the week no one wants to make up for it on Friday.  Hard lesson to learn, but I haven't forgotten it.

So, when Daddy is home on a school day, the kiddies want to play rather than work.  And chaos ensues because both parents equals distraction and excuses and a lack of school routine. After an ultra brief discussion in which John almost just went on to work but had told the kids he'd be home, I said he could teach and I'd run all the un-kid-friendly errands on my list.  Presto.  I got a mini-vacation.

It was actually even better than that because my first errand was to drop something off at a friend's house.  It's good she had to leave a little over an hour later because I might not have gotten the rest of the things done at all.  After leaving her house I made three other stops and filled the van with gas before heading home.

Decadent, I tell you.  Simply decadent.

But when I got home, I could tell you precisely how much more John loves his job than my job.  And tomorrow, I am certain he will not complain about any aspect of the work he is so good at.  Today, he was as harried and exhausted and frustrated as I am every day by mid-afternoon.  He sees small glimpses but to truly take my place for that long...I felt sorry for him, but I was so glad he could spend a day in my shoes.

He said it gave him insight as to what else he could do that might be helpful - whoa!  I didn't see that coming and it was certainly not my goal.  But I accept, whatever he thinks he can do.  Bless the man.

It was already closing in on 4pm by the time he unloaded groceries and what-not from the van for me, so I had mercy and sent him to the mechanic with the broken air conditioner in the van.  At least, I was trying to have mercy.  A good bit of stress actually followed and I'm glad they aren't calling ME tomorrow....  But I'm sure he was deeply happy to leave the house for a bit, regardless of the reason.  I know that feeling.

And me?  I mustered through the unfinished school work and started dinner....typical.  But oh, how refreshed I felt!  I think we need to schedule a day like that every few months.  It was healthy in a million and one ways.