Doing Dishes

Doing dishes used to be a chore I abhorred. I am tired by the end of the day. Making dinner is enough of a hassle, and then I have to do the dishes AFTER dinner? I know that in some households, the person who makes dinner is excused from washing the dishes. Sounds fair. I, however, usually make dinner AND do the dishes. Don't think poorly of the hubby, though. He is willing and would do them if I asked--he even offers sometimes. But, I usually prefer to do them myself. At first, my reason for this was because I am quicker, more efficient, and use less soap :) Since becoming a mom, though, my reasons for wanting to do the dishes have changed. First of all, if I am doing the dishes, Mike takes care of Connor, giving me a much needed break from him. I love my son, but by dinner time, I am usually ready to let Daddy take over. Lately, I have realized that doing dishes helps me unwind, and gives me a little "me" time. Even more recently, I have found yet ANOTHER reason to like doing the dishes....listening to the two loves of my life playing together. I usually have dinner ready and waiting when Mike gets home from work, which means that after dinner is prime father-son play time. While I stand in the kitchen unwinding, I can choose to tune into the sounds of this play time happening downstairs. I am so proud of the father that my husband has become, and listening to him and Connor scream and laugh together brings joy to my heart. So, doing dishes has morphed from an abhorred chore into a time of reflection for me. I am blessed. Now, if only cleaning the bathroom had the same effect....

Men and Sports

One of life's great mysteries....at least in my opinion. My husband just shaved off his hockey "play-off beard". What kind of team is he on, you ask? He isn't on a team. It wasn't even for the team he coaches. It was for the North Dakota Fighting Sioux. One of my favorite things to do with Mike is attend sporting events. We love going to Twins games and Fighting Sioux games whenever the pocketbook allows. I like the atmosphere, the food, the people watching, and sharing in one of my husband's passions. But I will never understand why men think that what jersey THEY wear to the game will affect the outcome. And how does my husband's facial hair possibly impact a team on which he knows no one? For that matter, how does the players' facial hair impact their game? WHAT DOES FACIAL HAIR HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?!?! (Sorry about that little rant, I just really don't understand...) Mike had a play-off beard the night I met him (actually, it was a well-groomed goatee that year....good thing, because if it was a full-on neck beard like this year, I don't think we'd be where we are today...), so his devotion to sports shouldn't be a surprise to me. I guess we'll just chalk it up to one of the differences between men and women. Or maybe I'm just jealous of that passion. All I know is that every year, probably for as long as we both shall live, I will have a hairy husband in the month of March. And I guess I'm okay with that.

Identity

This is my first-ever blog post. I have been thinking about blogging for a while, just because I like to write. When you are in school, you have plenty of opportunities to write....many of which I put off, complained about, etc. But, once you're done with school, when do you have the opportunity? Writing is something that has always come pretty naturally to me, so I feel as though I am wasting a talent if I don't use it. And I don't have so many talents that I can afford to waste a single one. I don't know if anyone will ever read this blog, but aren't most blogs a selfish thing? What can be more self-centered than thinking your life is so interesting people will want to read about it?

Deciding the topic for my first-ever blog post was a challenge. When I become an award-winning blogger, people will want to see how it all started! Such pressure!

I decided I should probably start by writing about who I am, and that got me thinking about identity. How should I describe myself? I'm Mike's wife, Connor's mom, a middle school teacher. But people always say you should really know yourself....not as someone's daughter, wife, or mother....but the REAL you. What if being a daughter, wife, mother, and teacher IS the real me? I wouldn't be ME if it weren't for all those roles.

People started telling me I should be a teacher when I was 8 years old and doing flashcards with my sister and the other daycare kids. I tried to rebel and pick a different major when I was a freshman, but it didn't stick. I knew what my calling was (as did everyone else, apparently). SO, isn't being a teacher part of me? In high school, my best friend was afraid to tell me when she got her tongue pierced. In college, some of my roomies affectionately (??) called me "mom". SO, isn't being a mom just naturally part of who I am?

I don't know if I buy into that philosophy that you shouldn't be defined by your roles. I am proud of my roles. I feel as if I was meant to fill all of those roles. So...who am I? Just a Midwestern wife, mother, daughter, and teacher who likes to write. Welcome to my blog.