Last night I was cleaning up the kitchen and began thinking. We had just finished eating dinner and as soon as the boys, Hubby included, were done they head to the living room for some nightly tv watching. What sports game could they find on tonight. I’m rinsing off my own plate in the sink and I hear Hubby tell the kids to make sure that they had brought their dishes to the sink for me. Thanks Hubby.

I say Thanks, sarcastically in my head. I remember the days when one of us would cook and the other one would clean. Those days are gone as the kitchen domain seems to be all mine. Wait, I think the whole house is all mine. I can not think of one chore that Hubby takes on anymore.

When I was a child, my mom was a mostly-stay-at-home-mom. She cooked and cleaned and was very good at it. My dad never did a thing. My situation seems to mirror that of my mom’s, except that I am not good at cooking and cleaning. It’s a real struggle for me to plan weekly meals and the house never seems to be in order.

Sometimes I feel frustrated. I hear about other mamas and how they have helpful husbands who vacuum up the bedrooms and tackle laundry and I am more then jealous.

Then, I stop and take a breather. Reflect on how he does help me.

He takes over the kids. He is a better playmate than me ~ throwing the baseball out in the yard, wrestling on the floor, even bonding as they shout at the tv for their favorite team. He is getting them out of my hair for a bit. Giving me a chance to relax or get my stuff done.

He provides for us. He spends his days at work….opening a new business in a town where we knew no one. He does this so I can stay at home with the boys, which is what I want to do. I worked outside the home more in my children’s life than I’ve stayed home, so I know what it is like and I am very grateful.

He kills the bugs. The other day C’Man and O’Bear were straightening up their room and they suddenly yell ‘frog frog!’ Yes, there was a dead frog in their room. On the 2nd floor. ewwwwwwwwwww. Last night I found a huge roach in my cabinet. Hubby to the rescue! I am not picking up these things!

I won’t go into the other roles he plays like handyman and lawn mower, but sometimes I just need to slow down and think…

Yes, we balance each other out.

How does it work at your house?