How did we do it? How do other people do it?

I have found myself beyond busy since becoming unemployed. How did we ever get the oil changed in the car, get the laundry done, the dishes cleaned, dinner cooked, and still both work 40+ hours a week? And how did we EVER survive when we were both working full time and going to grad school part time?! Oh, right, we didn't. The car oil changes often went weeks or months overdue. We regularly ate out or ate super quick homemade dinners, and the laundry was a joke. It was a mountain of dirty clothes that we picked through to do a load here and there to accommodate our needs, usually for the next day.

As I said, I've been busy. But, surprisingly from the text above, not really from doing laundry, though we are regularly caught up on our laundry - it doesn't take nearly as much effort now. I'm busy running to doctors' appointments, lunches with friends, shopping trips, more doctors' appointments, running errands, and did I mention the doctors' appointments? Unfortunately, with all that running, our house is no where near as clean as I'd hoped it would be when I was first laid off. And I'm not getting as many projects finished as I'd hoped either.

What I am getting is rest, relaxation, and time to read all of those pregnancy, birth, and parenting books I had on a list that I never had time for before. I'm spending more time with friends and family (I got to visit Kentucky for 8 days instead of 4 when we went a couple of weeks ago!). My dogs aren't cooped up in the kitchen for the majority of the day (well, at least not most days), and I can volunteer at church.

I'm a little surprised to tell you that I'm thoroughly enjoying my time at home. I never really thought I'd be a good "stay at home wife" (SAHW), and judging by the state of our house, well, maybe I'm not. But I am thankful that we are doing just fine on Scott's income and that I can have this luxury during the third trimester of pregnancy, and especially that I'll have it once Evvie arrives. That's not to say I won't go back to work either part time or full time at some point - but right now, I'm counting my blessings.