My mom took the baby for a couple hours so that O could get things done at home. However, when I got home to do those things, I was so tired, I could barely think straight or even walk straight. So, I determine the best route was to take a nap. Even if I slept the whole time – though, that seemed very unlikely – I would have the energy to manage my daughter without screaming this evening, and likely would be able also to do some tidying at the same time. If I didn’t rest, I’d get probably a touch more done with the tidying, but would be even more exhausted when my daughter got home, promising for a very difficult evening together for both of us.
So, I told my mom the plan, just so she wouldn’t try calling me, used the bathroom, and then lay down for a nap. And I woke up to the door being unlocked two hours later. It was no joke that I had been exhausted. And I was so relieved that I’d trusted myself and taken the nap, because it was evident that I had needed it.
And the evening went quite reasonably after that. I did, in fact, get some tidying accomplished. I didn’t scream and yell at my daughter like I was worried I would have done. And I still rested some more after all the tidying and ‘dinner’. (Not sleep, but rested, and interacted calmly and seemingly lazily with my daughter from the sofa, still engaging but resting, too. And ‘dinner’ instead of dinner, because random bites of food really doesn’t count as dinner, but I still couldn’t manage much else after the food poisoning.)
I’m so grateful I got to sleep. Now, for some more, and this time with my daughter.
Thank you, God. Please, keep us and our home and things safe and well and together. Guide us always to be our best selves, the people you made us to be. Show us your way. In your name, I pray. Amen.
Post-a-day 2026