A Big Dose of Reality

We arrived back home at 8:30 on Tuesday night.
The husband and I discussed whether or not to go back to work on Wednesday.  This was a bit of a point of contention for us.  We both had technically taken Wednesday off just in case we needed one more day for the long trip home.   He wanted to stay home to get some things done so he wouldn't feel so overwhelmed with all that there is to do.  I wanted to go to work to get some things done so I wouldn't feel so overwhelmed with all that there is to do. 

We ended up going back to work.  We both came home wondering why. 

It really was a good decision for me to go in and wade through what needed to be done.  However, it is  discouraging to come home with a longer to-do list than I went with. 

The laundry has overtaken what was once a wonderfully clean house.  The piles of clean laundry are lining up for battle with the piles of dirty laundry, but currently I have no idea which side is winning.

Speaking of a clean house, I am convinced that the only way to keep the house clean is to not live in it.

The kids are fighting unmercifully.  I really should be thankful that they were amazing on the entire trip, but at this moment, they are doing a great job of blotting out those memories.

By the end of our trip, we had eaten at so many restaurants that I put a "ban" on eating out and junk food.  This seemed like a great idea while watching my kids eat their last vacation meal of unhealthy food.  Now this means grocery shopping, menu planning, and cooking.  As much as I got tired of eating out, I never got tired of not cooking!  It has taken me most of the morning just to figure out how to restock this house.

Now that I have spent half my day mourning the fact that reality has hit, it is time to embrace it.  I am thankful for a great vacation, for safety on our trip, and for family time.  Now it is my turn to be thankful for a cool house to come home to, a job which surrounds me with great colleagues and an avenue for ministry, and the ability and desire to care for my family. 

Here's to looking forward to the rest of the summer.