trade off

hmmm, this is a tough one...

a husband putting in 10 hour days, 4 days a week, ALWAYS having Fridays off.

or

a husband putting in 8 hour days, 5 days a week...no long weekends...just the normal Sat. and Sunday like everyone else.

what would you prefer?

I used to think this was a hard one...not really knowing which would be better. Yet always thinking that having him home Fridays was pretty nice.

That is, until kids, and especially until having 2 of them!

You know those hours after nap time until daddy gets home? Surely I'm not the only mom who struggles during these hours! Oh my...I think those are the toughest hours of our day! The rest of the day flies by (most of the time)...but most days from 3:00 on, I watch the clock. I can't help it. I try to keep the kids busy, I try to pass the time away by doing fun things. But those are also the hours I'm usually scrambling to pick up the house, cook dinner, feed hungry kids, get myself ready for a jewelry show, etc.

And those hours just so happen to be the hours where my kiddos are most needy....and probably just plain sick of me. And they get even MORE needier when they see me trying to do all those things that need done.

If I was super mom, I would get dinner completely prepared and pick up the house along with the other hundreds of things on my to do list ALL while my children were sleeping. I'm SURE some of you are thinking this is the answer! And sometimes, a few of these things MIGHT get accomplished then. But seriously, who are we kidding...some days I need that time JUST for myself...just a break, a quick nap for myself, some blogging time, lunch that I didn't get to eat earlier, whatever...just ME time! Is anyone with me on this one???

So back to the tradeoff.

Having Dave off on Fridays vs. being home earlier every evening?

That's a no brainer to me now!

You would never think that the difference in him being home at 4:00 and 6:00 makes ALL the difference in the world! It makes for a happier ME, happier kids...because they aren't as sick of me as they are at 6! THUS, makes for a happier husband and a happier, less stressful evening. Just happiness all around!

So why am I talking like this is even an option....let alone something that I have the control over.


Well, because it is official! This week...his crew will start 8 hour days! Last night he told me he'd be home today at 4:15, and that's after driving home from Hutch! Their next job may be back in Newton, that means he'll be home at 3:30!!! Did I hear him correctly? THREE THIRTY!??!?!? We both just smiled when he said this.

No, I didn't have anything to do with this decision. I don't have that kind of pull. I guess the guys wanted it themselves. Funny, after doing it this way for so long, they just wanted change. Maybe it's because they don't want those extra 2 hours a day in the cold. I don't know, I don't care...I just know this is going to be a GREAT week! I hope it lasts!

Sidenote: After writing this, I realized that I really shouldn't be complaining at all. I know there are so many moms (and dads) who take care of their little ones, day in and day out, with no help, and no one to relieve them. I am thankful, very thankful, although I know I take it for granted most days, that I CAN be home with my kids, and that I have a wonderful husband who comes home and helps me every single night. I'm thankful that he has a great job and that his job does not take him away from us for more hours than it does. We all get accustomed to what we are used to....but we make changes and learn to survive through all of life's challenges, little and big. I am blessed that FOR NOW, my challenges, in the whole scheme of things, are really not that big at all.