Stepford wife challenge

Well I'm three days into my Stepford wife challenge and it has been so interesting. I'm learning so many things about myself and my kids, I get to come face to face with my bad habits everyday ...what a joy. 

So you have an idea of what my schedule looks like I broke a Monday down for so you can see.

MONDAY

I had set my alarm to go off at 6:45am thinking I will beat my kids up. I'll be able to prepare breakfast and have it waiting for them and my husband when they get up. I was thinking Proverbs 31:15   She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and organizes work for her servant girls.

(Man I wish I had servant girls...can I get a heck yes!)

I was all like yea I got this, I even prepped my banana muffins the night before thinking I'd be ahead of the game. 

The little rotters beat me up...nothing like waking up to your three year old telling you he took his pull up off during the night and peed the bed. YIPPIE 

So anyway I cleaned up the mess and proceeded to make my muffins thinking, look at the new Martha Stewart over here.......only to have my kids wine that they didn't like them.

Yes, the beast in me stared to stir...I felt like yelling "the go ahead and starve!". I held my tounge though and kept telling myself that the Holy Spirit gives peace and patience and that's exactly what I got when I asked "Holy spirit please help me to complete these goals I have with kindness and patience". That's when I had my first revelation. How often do I stop and pray in the moment of the situation I am going through. Not enough! 

It gave me that extra little push I needed. 

We finished our morning devotions and moved on. 

So I had the kids do their chores and ready for the day. I did my devotions while they watched right now media on their iPads. We then started school. 

Each week I do a theme with them just to make it a bit interesting. This week is ocean and we are learning with ocean themes in every subject. Everything from what sinks and what floats to goldfish math it's been a blast. 

 Then came my first real test of the day, nap time. Usually the boys would play their IPADS, Esmae and mommy would lay down. 

I put Esmae down fighting the hundred different excuses in my head at that point as to why I should lay down even just for a bit. I tried coffee...Yuck yuck yuck. Could not hold my coffee down at all soooo I had to fly solo. So I trudged on. 

My goodness, during that nap time I was able to clean the entire house with out kids distracting me. It was wonderful! 

I fought the exhaustion through that hour but in the end it just was so much better for everyone. 

We finished the rest of our school and went onto lunch. Our devos at lunch were about being appreciative...anyone guess what example I used?? At the end of lunch I had my 5 year old come up to me and apologize for being difficult in the morning. 

I wept...wept like a little baby. 

I am so quick to yell in a situation that it usually kills any opportunity I have to teach my kids. Even though I apologize after for yelling the moment is gone and they don't have the same perspective on it at all. Eye opener #2.

We went on with our day reading, laughing and I caught up on all the laundry (That never ever happens...like I've been married for 7 years and this is the first time.) 

I prepped my supper which was mozzarella stuffed meatballs in the slow cooker with low carb spaghetti. On Monday's I teach dance so I often get the sitter to make frozen pizza. It was so nice smelling the succulent smell meatballs all afternoon. 

I taught dance, came home to a clean house. 

That just doesn't happen. It was beautiful.

Until I walked to the bathroom to find underwear and socks on the floor and toothpaste everywhere. I took and deep breath and spent the 3 seconds cleaning it up this time instead of the 5 minutes lecturing my husband about all the work I had done that day and how his socks on the floor is a sign he is saying I don't care about anything you do. That was a real test ladies.

I prepped school, food and dance classes for the next day and crawled into bed for a nice cuddle with my husband before sleep. 

I then noticed something. 

My mind was clear.

Like really really clear and peaceful.

I often struggle with anxiety, especially at night. That night was different. My mind was clear and peaceful. 

I made the connection really fast but it was bang on. The state of my house is directly connected to my state of mind. 

I was blown away. Wow #3.

I was so ready and exhausted to go to bed that I was out by 10, which is not really normal for this night hawk.

It is crazy what setting goals for yourself changes in your life. Not only setting goals, but setting goals that are saturated in prayer and seeking God for your life. I increased my work load during the day and the amount of time and effort goes into planning the details, but I have also increased my God time which brings me peace that I cannot decribe. 

So my first three days have been busy and crazy. Filled with unexpected kid issues and learning to speak only positive and lovingly to my husband, looking my strongholds in the face and so much exhaustion I really could go on forever about it. But The thing I am taking away most so far is that the realization that I wasn't even aware of the large amount of things that were holding me back in my life that I was willingly giving into. 

It's a learning process and I'm excited to see where God is going to take me to with this.