During the week, my husband gets up and ready for the day before everyone so he can get to work by 8am, like many people. Since I stay home with our children, we never have interfering shower times in the morning. I’m grateful for that… well, he might be the more grateful one.
On the weekends, especially if we’re going somewhere, I tend to shower first because I take (a little) longer. Even if I don’t ask, my husband will say, “Why don’t you jump in now and I’ll shower after?!” I’m what you might call a ‘”lolly gagger,” and he knows this more than anyone so, it’s like clockwork… once he makes the suggestion, I’m all over it. And when I’m “all over it,” my mind subconsciously turns into mini mama-vacation mode, and I indulge in the opportunity.
I truly enjoy a weekend shower letting the hot water hug me. I feel like it’s a little gift to myself after a long week with two busy kids. Then, I think about how great it feels to shower in general because (I confess) it doesn’t happen daily during the week. When it does happen, it’s quick and methodical: face, hair, body, out! Because the two children playing on the floor can’t seem to share eight ponies, they suddenly need their fifth Band-Aid (what’s with this Band-Aid obsession anyway?), and a small kitten fight has commenced. So, I dedicate the weekend for my real shower time.
Besides the basic showering tasks, a weekend shower is much more like a vacation at the spa… I run through my to-do list in my head and what needs to be accomplished that day. I think about who I need to get back to, what we need at the store, what needs to be done around the house, etc. I do all of this surrounded only by the noise of water. No children pulling at me, sitting on my lap while I write my lists with their cute little hands on mine. No children yelling or loudly singing, fighting or seeking my attention with the latest silly quote they can’t stop repeating. None of that and I am in such a happy place.
This weekend shower experience for me isn’t just a ‘wash my hair, wash my body and be done’ kind of experience. This is the kind of break that I only get a handful of times and I’m realizing that it’s an indulgence for me. A new sense of joy comes over me and I feel alive, energized, and finally clean. Not gonna lie, I feel like a whole new person. It’s as if I’m shedding the exhausted past week away, leaving me ready to take on a new week. I often think (with slight envy) about the quiet morning showers that my husband gets during the week. I understand that he is most likely having the ‘wash my hair, wash my body and be done’ experience so he can get to work, but there is something about a peaceful shower that everyone needs.
So, with that being said:
Honey, I am so sorry that I’ve become a weekend hot water hoarder, and I hope you can understand why you ocassionally take a cold shower on the weekends. I promise it’s not intentional. I tend to get lost in that warm water hug while brainstorming, list-making, planning the day ahead and enjoying a pretend vacation. Please forgive me. I will admit that when I step out, I often think, “He has like 20 minutes of warm water left. That should be fine…” I’m now aware that it’s rarely the case and it’s more like two minutes of warm water. THANK YOU for letting it happen every weekend with barely a peep besides, “My shower was cold, huh,” (said with the kindest sarcasm). I promise, I will be better about sharing the hot water…
…maybe. Weekend showering is kind of my haven.
What mundane task or daily activity brings you this kind of joy? Where do you feel the most alive? What energizes you?
