Do you enjoy routine or resist it? I typically gravitate toward routine when it comes to our day to day activities. For the past five and a half years, I've had a pretty "typical" work schedule where I work Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm. Working at a university means there are also evenings where I stay late and go to weekend events, but it's a pretty well established routine when it comes to my work life.
My husband's work schedule recently changed so that he works four days a week, but not always the same days. Sometimes he works Fridays and sometimes he works Saturdays. Not having our Saturdays guaranteed as together time can be a challenge and this being a new thing since late January, we're having to work at ways to make the most of our time together.
It's forced us to communicate about our schedules regularly and make our time together more intentional. We still watch Duck Dynasty and movies, but we also walk the dog together on the weekends and work from our laptops in the same room.
Despite the changing schedule, I've found this to be a sweet season of marriage. We're preparing for our life to change drastically once Baby G arrives in July. I am also planning less in some respects. I have been somewhat unintentionally letting go of a few chores and being less rigid.
I still clean the house, but I don't beat myself up if I'm not able to clean both bathrooms every Saturday morning like I used to. At this stage, it's more important to take the time to go to a bagel shop with my husband, than do chores.
You may also notice, I'm blogging less lately. In preparation for Baby G and feeling the fullness of this stage of life, I have decide to cut back in some areas and blogging is one of them. My hope is that cutting back in some areas will allow room for growth in others.
I still love blogging and have no intentions of stopping, I'm just at a place of spending my free time on things like crocheting baby blankets, reading some child birthing books, and preparing our home for this little one who will arrive in about three months. As much as I love chronicling our journey on this blog, I don't want to look back and wish I would have taken the time to be creative in other parts of life.
So my routine looks different than it did even two months ago when I told a few friends I had found a rhythm with blogging and life balance (ironic, huh?). I'm holding this routine of changing workdays for the mister, crocheting baby things (for lots of friends who are also having their first babies), and spending evenings while my husband is in class with girlfriends with an unclenched fist. This seemingly new routine will soon come to an end but I'm pretty sure I'll love the next routine even more!
Do you find yourself embracing changing routines?
I think that change of any kind is hard at first. But change is great, and you learn so much about yourself when going through the bumpy parts. Also, blogging will always be here :)
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