Day 6, Love is Not Irritable: She Said, He Said

We are still onboard with our Love Dare. Do you ever notice how when you are trying to do something worthwhile, something happens? Life gets more hectic and chaotic? I feel like it is the devil trying to get us off track, but then again God could be testing us. Either way, while we may get a bit behind we are in this for the long haul! I have been keeping our journals up to date.

She Said: Jenn's Journal Entry Day 6

Where do you need to add margin to your life? I need to take more time for myself, to get away for a bit and to relax and regroup. I am always going and going, putting myself last. A struggle for me is putting myself first. While I coach other women to do this, I too have to work at it.

Thankfully Steve supports me needing some me time. He and I sat down and wrote out a schedule for March. His schedule varies from week to week, but he gets his schedule for an entire month. Seeing how it is impossible for me to work and balance caring for the kids while I do it, he has agreed to me having set work hours while he cares for the little ones. I have also decided to take more time off on the weekends. It has really helped put things into perspective for me. By scheduling time to work, time to do housework, family time and the like, I feel less overwhelmed and less guilty about taking some time for me. I do still need to go bra shopping!

When have you recently overreacted? Having a newborn, 2 toddlers and a tween, and going through PPD, when have I not? Just kidding. Seriously, I tend to overreact more with the kids then with Steve. Right now I am concentrating on doing the Love Dare for my marriage, but I see how I may need to go back through it again with my children as the focus. For me, taking on the Love Dare as a wife and parent would have been too overwhelming, too many changes trying to take place I would have probably given up!

What was your real motivation behind it? Feeling overwhelmed, feeling sorry for myself (the poor poor Jenn syndrome, I call it), being selfish. I hate housework. HATE it. However, through the Love Dare challenges, my focus on the housework is beginning to shift, that I should do it more out of love for my family, not out of resentment. I may never be Molly Maid or be a clean/neat freak, but I can do better in this area, and I am. I procrastinate. I am actually finding more joy in housework since I am no longer viewing it from a self-centered perspective, but as an act of love. It is causing me to stay more on task and to be more productive, less irritable and less overwhelmed. This is an epiphany, my friends!

What decisions have you made today? To practice what I preach, try and leave the do as I say and not as I do motto behind me!

He Said: Steve's Journal Entry Day 6

Day 6, Love is Not Irritable

Where do you need to add margin to your life?

I need to add some quality time with all of my family members, together as a group and on an individual basis. Jenn needs more time on the computer to work her business, Bry needs to ride her bike she got for Christmas, Abs and Sarah need to have more bath time with Dad, and Chase needs to eat and diaper changes. Me time will come sooner or later with fishing and hunting.

When have you recently overreacted?

I sometimes get frustrated with the two younger girls screaming at the top of their lungs. I am always finding something Bry does that just sends me over the edge. For instance, drinking soda for breakfast or cutting the shower curtain with a razor.

What was your real motivation behind it?

Sodas aren’t cheap these days and when I want some, there is none to drink. I will do better.

What decisions have you made today?

To try and not be so hard on Bry, Abs, and Sarah. Jennifer, well I’m always going to be hard on her, just kidding, I will try not to be so sarcastic towards her.