My Trench Has Been Deep of Late

I have not had the opportunity to see outside of my trench very often this year. My kids have their needs. The house and I have our own. And my husband needs a few things I can give too. Sometimes, his need is fulfilled simply by making sure the kids needs, the house's, and my own still allow him time to study. And that is why I have not recently had a chance to climb out of my trench, take a breath of fresh air, look around, and communicate (commiserate?) with the other trench-dwellers.

Writing is once again on my radar. I posted again to our family's blog after a long interval sometime a couple of weeks ago, in preparation to take on some writing work again. The very next Monday found me already committed to a (rather boring, but also easy) project, so my hopes of catching up my blogs for a few weeks before getting a real assignment had to be laid aside. I am now in the stride of this project, and since I am nearly writing the exact same thing for every post, I can do it without thinking and within the space of about an hour.

Today's struggles were many: I was too tired; I didn't know what to cook for supper; the kids would have to watch a second video; I was too tired. Ultimately, I bit the bullet, and got to work. An hour later, I can happily report that my submissions are submitted, my dinner is half started, and unfortunately, my kids are probably still watching Goofy. There are worse things. (For instance, I am being tempted to start nearly every sentence of this post with a conjunction, and while I approve of that occasionally, the novelty quickly wears off.)

I have gathered my thoughts and written down what I need to do this week. My laundry day is planned, an outing to the Zoo penciled in, and my submissions, my work(!), noted. As I re-enter the world of the work-at-home-Mom, I want to reign in the CHAOS and establish routines or I will end up living in a home filled with crusty dishes and people running on little sleep (which may happen anyway from time to time).

Ironically, taking on more work has allowed me this break, a chance to look around and call out to inhabitants of other trenches running alongside mine. I create and reflect in the midst of the needs I must fulfill. Then I dive back in and do all those mundane things that mothers do and that their families cannot live without.

(Photo courtesy of FreeFoto.com)