I have towels washing in the washer and towels drying in the dryer. Dishes fill the sink and the dish rack (waiting on the dish towels in the dryer.) I don't have a dishwasher. (Well, you're looking at my dishwasher's words right now. Hi!)
I am not complaining. I am just telling it like it is.
I just want to sit down and eat my salad (spring mix with spinach and pears and glazed pecans topped with Gorgonzola cheese and balsamic, thanks for asking.) I want to write this blog post. I want to watch tonight's How I Met Your Mother. I want to finish up the laundry and dishes and hopefully go to bed with less setbacks for my morning.
Today I took Gray and Ivy to see my grandparents. We drove a half hour to see them and I am pretty sure we made their day, if not week. Just by going over there to visit. We didn't have the tv on. We didn't have anything to entertain other than the most adorable baby girl and the cutest three-year old boy that decided to really put on a show.
I had plenty to do here. I knew driving out there would mean I would have even more to do tonight. Naps were cut short and taken in the car instead.
But sometimes it's nice to do things for other people. Two hours of my day is more healing than any of the prescription medications my grandmother is taking.
Sometimes we need to do stuff we don't want to do just to make others happy. Maybe even just to be respectful. We could all use a good humbling and tap down a notch or three. And hey, I'll tell you a secret. You'll still get something out of it, too.
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That is true. And most older people really enjoy seeing young kids. Seeing joy in others' faces is quite a reward.
ReplyDeleteA few months ago we went to visit Hubby's great-aunt and great-uncle. She has lung cancer and while she has been kicking cancer's butt for two years she is dying. I know we made their day (week). But they made ours too.
ReplyDeleteSo true, so true! Bisa Lu Lu (Mexican great grandma to our children) is 85 years old and lives with Grandma, less than a mile away from us. If she had her way, my three kids would be at their house every single day. As it is, she sees her great-grandkids about 2-3 times a week and she LOVES it. She lets them climb all over her, she sings to the baby in Spanish, she lets the 3 yr old run crazy with her walking cane. My monkies keep her young! And she wouldn't have it any other way. And neither would I.
ReplyDeleteVery true. I love to take my kids to the nursing home because the little old ladies there just eat them up. It's a great feeling.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope you got to enjoy your salad and have those feet up right now!
ReplyDeleteI know you did make their day. I'm sorry your evening didn't go as planned and you did get to enjoy your salad.
ReplyDeleteHow true. I'm sure you made their day. My mom loves when she gets to see the great grandkids. Your salad sounds yummy (without the pears).
ReplyDeleteSo very true. You probably made their month :). Children are magic to the elderly.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the dishwasher. It seems as though they never, ever end. Just remember there is always tomorrow if you don't get everything done tonight :).
So true, Steph!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Oh I so wish I could vote for more than one person in the mother of all bloggers contest! I like your stuff! I'm following you FOR sure!
ReplyDeleteI just had this same conversation with my sister Saturday. We get so wrapped up in our lives and forget to do things for the people we love. It makes life a little more difficult to do things for them, but honestly your grandparents world was made so much brighter, and your kids also learned a valuable lesson. I try to spend as much time as possible with my grandparents, they have so much information to pass on and I am all ears!!
ReplyDeleteThat's certainly the truth! And, it really is so rewarding to do things for others despite piles of dishes and laundry staring you down.
ReplyDeleteI miss my grandma. Her world lights up when my daughter is with her so I can just imagine the joy that you brought to your grandparents today.
ReplyDeleteI hope you find a little peace and quite for yourself tonight before bed.
I said something similar to my husband on our drive back from Texas last night, when he went on about how little he spent while visiting, and how much his parents spent on the kids instead. Grandparents fawning over their grandchildren is healing for them - taking them to the zoo, and to the fair, and to the best ice cream shop "known to man" (so I was told many, many times).
ReplyDeleteToday must've been a day for behavior in kids (full moon maybe)? As if you didn't already get an earful earlier, things got even stranger later. As much as I missed them while away, bedtime couldn't have come fast enough.
Thanks for today, in case I didn't say it enough already. It meant a great deal to me.
My comments include:
ReplyDeleteHow sweet. That you drove out to see your grandparents and I KNOW made their day! My husband's grandparents are here in town and they and all of their neighbors LOVE when I bring the boys to visit at their retirement community. It just warms my heart.
And also, that pear salad sounds SO yummy right now.
And lastly, no dishwasher? ; )
Amen. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteGrandparents are wonderful. I hear you about starting the day of ahead ... I frequently am up cleaning after the kids crash so I can start the day off well! No dishwasher here either, except me!!!
ReplyDeleteSo very, very true. And why we're trying to set aside a thousand dollars and any of Hubby's vacation time/personal time/floating holidays we can that are left after he takes off to be with me and the baby in June so that we can drive or fly 2000 miles with a 2 year old and a 6 month old to spend Christmas with my 90 year-old Grandmother. She is so excited just to know that we're planning on trying to come - I hope it works out, I know it will be a Christmas I'll always remember if it does.
ReplyDeleteI have laundry piled and spring cleaning to do - it's easy to get overwhelmed, so thanks for this timely reminder!
As a military family that is states away from any set of grandparents, we often long to see them more than words can express. Over the telephone, my grandparents will frequently say of my kids, "We just... We just want to SEE them." It hurts me heart. Good on you for the visit; I wish we could do the same.
ReplyDeleteAmen!
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog and look forward to reading your adventures, I, too, have a sweet baby girl (3 1/2 months old) and a 3 1/2 year old little man - we can compare stories. LOL
ReplyDeleteSo very true.
ReplyDeleteYour salad sounds very yummy, I hope you did get to eat it in peace.
Hope today is a better day for the kids (and you).
ReplyDeletei wholeheartedly agree, sometimes it is necessary to put aside our to-do's to do something that holds more worth.
ReplyDeleteso true! I hope you aren't to overwhelmed today :)
ReplyDeleteSuch truth. Sometimes a little time makes a world of difference.
ReplyDeleteI know how those days are -- just get them to bed and all will be better ;)
ReplyDeleteThat is great that you were able to visit with your Grandparents. Jeremy's Grandma lives close to us, so we try to visit her every Sunday. She loves it and so do the kids. She is the only Grandparent that my kids have close to them, so it is important that they spend time with her and make memories with her.
I love this post. Because it's SO common (and I'm SO guilty of it too) to get SO caught up in OUR OWN STUFF. Stuff that is SO not going away...the stuff that we try to stay on top of, and it really has no top. In the end, what matters? And the best way for our kids to learn to love people is by doing these small things, even when there's other STUFF to do.
ReplyDeleteApparently I can't stop saying STUFF...and stuff.
James has teeth and it munching me more than my others ever did. Man! Those little things are sharp!
ReplyDeleteWould like your thoughts on my latest post.
Great advice!
ReplyDeleteThose are words of wisdom if I ever heard them. It really is a "sacrifice" sometimes to go out and see people (sounds weird, I know...but most WAHMs will likely agree...). Going out means leaving unfinished work behind...and I always kind of hate it when my kids are napping and I'm not getting anything productive done (like driving, for example).
ReplyDeleteBut it's worth it to make someone else smile. To brighten a life...a home...with the "sunshine" of our presence and our children's presence. Thanks for that reminder.
Oh, I wish I could take my kids to see my grandmother. She died just a few months before I was pregnant withmy first. I am glad you went. A sacrifice of an evening will be worth it in the long run.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post. So many truths. It's amazing that many people don't get it though. We go through similar things in our lives too.
ReplyDeleteI love this! Sometimes you have to take one for the team, so to say, to make someone else's day.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I added you on twitter....I'm new to it, but we'll see. kalee_marie
What a great insight. I have been in a bit of a funk lately and I was contemplating that perhaps if I'd get out and do something for someone else and get my mind off myself that I just might feel better. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteChildren have a way of lighting up the world around them. What a great way to spread the happiness around.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear, sounds like a rough evening but you know your sacrifice was worth it to cheer up your grandparents' day. :)
ReplyDeleteMy Z was a biter, too, and he got teeth EARLY - it was terrible!!! Hope she doesn't bite you too much!!! :) Also, I don't have a dishwasher either- never have in 6 years of marriage. :)
AND...I don't know if you remember, but a few months ago, we emailed & I was disappointed b/c I wasn't pregnant...and now I am expecting!!! :) Due in December, when Z turns 2 - super excited! :)
That speaks so highly of your character and the lessons you're instilling in the kiddos.
ReplyDeleteYou'll be glad you spent that time with your g-parents and glad for the time the kiddos spent as well!
Now that I have kids, I really understand the value of family. Of allowing grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins to share our lives, and vice versa. The kids and oldies all get so much out of it, and our lives are so much richer as a result. To me, that's one of the nicer aspects of parenting - you're less selfish than when you were a teen/young adult, always putting yourself first. You learn to consider family above all - and to appreciate them.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, your house sounds like it's in a similar amount of chaos to mine!