Spring Cleaning

Spring is by far my favorite time of the year. Especially in Colorado! The air feels cleaner, the weather is gorgeous, and everything seems to renew itself. 

The last few days I've been thinking a lot about the word renewal. Renewal in my spiritual life, my vocation and my daily life. Lent is often a time of renewal, but a week or so after Easter, I always find myself in a rut again, needing a restart button. So this week, I've been planning out what that restart button needs to look like in various areas of my life. 

Spiritually, my prayer has been so lax since Easter. Mid-lent actually... I've made excuses to put off daily prayer or become apathetic in the few minutes of prayer I have done. I'm definitely noticing an impact! I'm busy, stressed and am definitely lacking in compassion and patience when it comes to Cana. Not good. 

Here's my plan for my Spiritual Renewal:

-Read the Gospel daily and journal on it during Cana's morning nap.

-Continue dinner time prayer with my family, but don't just rush through it! 

-While nursing Cana, take time to pray in thanksgiving for her and the gift of motherhood! (So important!) 

-Read The Return of the Prodigal Son by the time Frankie is on summer break

Another area in disparate need of renewal is my Vocation. Don't worry, my marriage is fine. More an fine, it's wonderful! But I definitely could use a kick in the behind when it comes to being a stay at home wife and mother. So often I find myself complaining to Frankie about how hard my day was and yet I think back and realize I didn't accomplish a single task while he was at work. Most nights, Frankie comes home to a kitchen full of dishes, a messy living room, and a stressed out wife. He is a saint in the making for putting up with me, I swear! But I am tired of feeling stressed and lazy because I stay at home. It's an amazing vocation and I am so grateful for the ability to do so, but I can't keep taking advantage of it by watching a lot of tv and making excuses. 

Here's my plan for my Vocational Renewal:

-Get dressed, ready and put on mascara everyday. (I'm not a make up person and I love my sweat pants, so doing this will take me out of my laziness and help me understand I do have work to do each day.)

-I hate housework, it's my biggest struggle! So I will accomplish a daily chore or task. {Mon: clean the bathroom, Tues: sweep, mop, vacuum, Wed: declutter the house, put things away, Thurs: do laundry, Fri: wipe down the entire kitchen}

-Do the dishes before Frankie gets home from work so we can start dinner right away.

-Welcome Frankie home without complaining about my day as he walks in the door.

-Leave the house every day, even if it's just for a short walk to check the mail. 

There are plenty of other things I plan on changing as well, but these few are sure to help in big ways! I always love setting goals and making lists, following through, though, is the tough part! Say a prayer for me? Dankeschön.