Time

It cracks me up when people tell me they don't have time to blog. I am guilty of doing the same thing. I have been known to tell people that I don't have time to scrapbook. What we really all mean is that we don't want to make the time for it...it is not a priority. For me and scrapbooking it is actually more than me not making that a priority...it would be a health hazard for me to do that. I would be pulling out my hair and screaming bloody murder before I got my first page done...talk about a tedious activity for moi. Obviously many people LOVE it...I am not one of those people.

But, back to the point...I'm sure that is what people mean to say, right? Surely they don't think that I am just swimming in free time around here. Let's see...

1. I have 3 small children
2. I'm pregnant with a 4th
3. I just moved to a different country...lots of adaptations to make and new things to learn
4. I'm learning a new language
5. I am responsible for keeping us fed which means meal planning, shopping, and the cooking
6. cooking involves much more creativity here...much more 'cooking from scratch'
7. cooking also means cleaning afterward...here that is also a bit more time-consuming since there are not dishwashers
8. I am responsible for keeping us clothed, which means making sure that our children's clothes fit, which means frequently (too frequently) going through closets, pulling non-fitting clothes out, finding in storage the fitting clothes, sorting through those, putting fitting clothes in the closets, organizing and storing the pulled-out clothes
9. that also includes laundry of course...here there are no 30 minute cycles on the washing machines...I am going Wonder Woman speed if I'm able to wash 3 loads a day (takes literally all day long to do that); of course that doesn't include drying, which is done by hanging on a line...much more time-consuming than throwing in a dryer
10. that also means folding/hanging the clean clothes back in the closets...time consuming for a family of 5
11. I am responsible for training and disciplining the children, while Joel isn't here that is (which is most of the time, as is the case for most daddies in the world due to work)...also very time-consuming; training them to put their toys away and how to do it, training them in working, training them in how to relate to each other, etc.

There is a plethora of different jobs I am responsible for. I'm sure you can ALL RELATE. You have some of the same responsibilities.

We all have choices as to how to spend our time that we do have when not fulfilling our duties. Some people get their nails done once a week...I don't do that. Some people have a weekly go-out-with-friends night...I don't do that. Some people get their hair done every month or 6 weeks...I haven't had my hair cut or trimmed since last December.

It seriously makes me smile when someone tells me they don't have time for this or that. I know I do it too...say the same thing sometimes about certain things. I'm sure I will continue to say that too...it's just what we say. But, really...what we all mean is that it's not a priority. I mean, we all literally have the same amount of time, right? Blogging is a priority for me, as I'm sure you can tell and understand. Since I am a pretty relational creature, I want to know about others and I want others to know about me...and be able to see my kids even if they don't see them in person often. Reading someone's blog is like being able to go have dinner with them and catch up with them, even though that's not really what I'm doing. I'd love to be able to do that, but obviously can't...not even possible even if I didn't live in Brasil.

Don't feel bad if you don't blog...that isn't what this is about. You do other things with your time. But, I just wanted to reassure you...I'm not sitting down here twiddling my thumbs, oozing with extra time. :) Just a clarification for you. It's all about priorities.