A Little Appreciation...

Goes a long way.

Tom helps a lot with the morning routine these days.

I try to thank him often for what he does because, well, I’d like to receive recognition for all that I do for our family and I figure the best way to perhaps get to that point is to model the behavior. You know, the whole do unto others as you’d have them do unto you.

How’s that working for me? Ehh, whatever. He’s appreciative in his own way. Let’s leave it at that.

But he surprised me earlier this week.

After I thanked him for his contribution to getting the girls fed and brushed (teeth and hair) and shoed each morning, he replied with, “It’s the least I can do. I have to make up for all those years when you did it all while you were at your mom’s.”

Wow.

I wasn’t sure he ever realized how hard those years of commuting were. I didn’t know it had ever occurred to him that while he was home alone for three, sometimes four nights/mornings each week, I was off with the girls, doing the parenting thing on my own.

Now, granted, my mom helped as much as she could. But there were years where we were staying with her and my step-dad not because my mom was babysitting but because it was simply a matter of distance. I couldn’t justify driving the girls 65 miles each way every single day. So during O’s first year, my mom worked outside the home and I took both girls to a daycare center that is a block from my work.

And I did it all myself. I got them both and myself ready each morning. I fed them, I dressed them, I packed our lunches, I made sure there were diapers in the bag and a change of clothes for both girls.

It was tough, but we made it through. And this week, I got to see that my husband saw that. He realized how much effort I put into our lives.

Somehow, just knowing that he’s aware makes me feel better. Sure, a thank you every so often wouldn’t go unappreciated but…I know how he thinks and I will take what I can get.