As I sit here contemplating another Friday, and yet another week of having company, and another week of not doing schoolwork, all I can do is just let it go. We have had company of some sort in our tiny little cottage for the past three weeks.
Our cousins from Florida think our little abode is a vacation spot. Conveniently located in Central Phoenix, close to the freeway and all of their househunting. Free food, free transportation, and of course a stay at home mom ready to babysit! (not!)
The first day they arrived I held firm. We had to finish our school day before we left the house. Then it all went downhill. Fast forward 3 weeks. Not one day of school since.
Now, you may be wondering, why are you doing school in June? Good question. Because all of my family thinks that because I am a SAHM and therefore have no life. They must attempt to fill it up with lunch here, breakfast there, running here, etc, so our schedule got stretched more and more.
Yes, I agree, I need to get a backbone where my family is concerned. I am getting better. For several weeks I held to the "we do not leave the house until all work is finished" rule. It worked well until swimming lessons started. Being at the pool at 10:30 am made getting all work done first impossible. We took some of the work with us for a few days to fill the hour wait between lessons and open swim time. Unfortunately, classic books and swimming pools are not a good combo.
I was starting to get into a good rythym when the cousins with their youngest child, a 5 yr old arrived. Then they left her with me for a week. Yeah, the girl's room now looks like a tornado went through. Our schedule is out of wack.
So, I was looking forward to getting things back in order when they all left on Wednesday. My cousin had an appointment for the physical from his job interview at 2:30, which he didn't confirm with me and my schedule. I had a dr's appointment at 2:00. His was 20 miles away. So my husband was trying to run everyone everywhere on time, watch all the kids, etc. (his day off)
They dropped me off and left for the other side of town. Ten minutes later I get a call, the transmission in the car had died. I was stuck at the dr's office, but they were stuck on the side of the freeway. My cousin didn't make his appointment. I finished at my dr's and decided what to do. It was 110 outside. I almost took the bus, but then I realized that I had no reason to rush. There was nothing I could do. Free time. It was all out of my hands. With no car, no one could expect anything from me. No one could take advantage of my giving nature.
I walked to McDonald's and got a salad and bottle of water and relaxed with my book. When I finished I debated on what to do.  I decided to be bad. I ordered  french fries and ate them all! It was only a medium.
Finally my "rescue" from being "stranded" arrived. Friends of ours with a minivan had picked up everyone and showed up for me as well.
My cousins are coming back on Monday to enjoy the 4th and go to his physical on Wednesday. Now they get to rent a car and drive me around.
I decided as I sat there that I must look at this whole thing as a blessing. For far to long I have just accepted being the facilitator for what everyone else wants. I say yes too much. No more. I want to be loving and kind and hospitable, but first to my family. I realized how out of control I have let it get. Now, now it is time to start saying no- without feeling guilty.
Blessings to you all! I am sure you will hear more about this later.
Cara
PS
By the way, as I said at the beginning, my girls didn't do school work for the past few weeks, but they did make 3 loaves of bread from scratch, build a raft like the Kon Tiki (out of popsicle sticks) clean their room and organize it, do numerous loads of laundry, make waffles from scratch, read 36 books each for "Read Your Way To the Ballpark", make birthday cards by hand, sweep, mop, compost, garden, help plan a surprise birthday party, run their lemonade stand, and a few other things I have forgotten. | 