Schedule Bumps

When Eliana's schedule changes, it always throws me for a loop. And for some reason, this last change has really been a doozy. I have been off kilter for a few weeks because of it, and it's not just my house that's suffering. I haven't been doing my morning and evening routines, which means I haven't been reading my Bible. And because I haven't been starting my day off with prayer and the Word, it's been hard for me to keep my priorities straight day in and day out. I get selfish. I want time for ME. I don't want to do the things I ought, and I start to resent spending my entire day looking after a 2 year old who doesn't nap anymore.

But you know what? My time is not my own. It never was, and it never will be. That's what it means to be a servant of Christ. My time is His to use for whatever He has called me to do. And right now, do you know what He has called me to do? That's right... be a wife, mother, and homemaker.

So again I sit down and write out a schedule. Nothing too strict, but some guidelines to get me through the areas of life I can't seem to maintain on my own. Bible reading. Housekeeping. Parenting. Meal planning. Weight loss. These are the areas I struggle with, and the struggle is always over consistency. So I sit down to write out a schedule to help me be more consistent in all of these areas. Because I am inconsistent.

I have a general schedule for meal planning and daily meals/snacks for Eliana. That works when I follow it. Now I need to work on planning meals in advance so that I know what I'm making for dinner and not trying to wing something when Leif calls to say that he's on his way home. I want to make food that is tasty and nutritious, made with ingredients that are good for my family. I want to make food that helps me work toward my weight loss goals. And I want to make meals that are cost efficient and piggyback on one another for time efficiency.

So... what are we having for dinner this week? Good question. Today is Day 5 of our meal planner, and we're having pulled pork sandwiches for dinner tonight. Tomorrow starts Day 1 and I should get planning now so I know what we're doing:

Tuesday (1 - Italian): DD Lasagna
Wednesday: Bite of Bozeman
Thursday (2 - Mexican): Fajitas on the grill
Friday (3 - Oriental): DD Aloha Chicken Kebabs
Saturday: Sweet Pea Festival
Sunday: Sweet Pea Festival
Monday (4 - American): DD Chicken Nuggets with Baked Beans

So that gets me through the week. And it lets me try a few Deceptively Delicious recipes. And hopefully it lets me eat and serve to my family some healthy food.