August 2, 2011

Distraction.

What a funny little word, distraction.

I talk about distraction often.

Utilizing distraction & redirection as a discipline method.

Distraction = positive.

Minimizing distraction in a learning environment.

Distraction = negative.

It's all about context, right?

Well, lately it seems as though the four of us have been hooking on to any distraction that comes our way. Grabbing each and every diversion by the horns and holding on earnestly and with some weird sense of desolation.

It's about anything we can do around here to allow ourselves to be swallowed up by one distraction or another.

Right now, distractions are good.

So, when our final weekend together as a foursome deliquesced as I abashedly jaunted off on some girls weekend rather than stew in the realization that D-Day was nearing, I found myself having some expectations of Tyler that were largely left unmet.

Instead of rollicking in every last drop of quality time he had left with the girls, he chose to keep himself busy in another way.

Instead, he plunged into a vat of home improvement projects that would make most hearty men weak at the knees.

He made the outside of our house go from this...



...to this.



And he made the basement go from this...



...to this.



Goodbye, horrible eggplant purple exterior trim. So long, yucky, dim mustard basement paint. Sayonara, boring wooden trim.

Hello, lovely colors I've been wanting in my house for years since we've lived here!

While I am admittedly super pleased with the results, and the work puts a smile on my face every time I take it in, I was really quite irate over the decision to spend all those hours putting love into our house and not our children.

I got over it.

It wasn't the time to hold a grudge.

In retrospect, I am beginning to see the validity of the distraction for Ty at the time. It really is becoming more evidently clear as days pass and time ticks away, why such a choice was made.

On the surface, it was one or two more things to check off the massive to-do list we amassed around here.

But, deep down, I think it's just much easier to throw yourself head first into favoring the distractions rather than to sit quietly and come to terms with the understanding and the sense of it all.

Distractions may just prove to be our saving grace; all four of us.

2 sweet tweets:

Kendra said...

Amen.

Very well put. I can see why you were frustrated, and I can see why Tyler wanted the distraction, and I can see how you came around to seeing that too.

As an aside, his projects turned out fabulous!!

How are you guys holding up?

Lisa said...

Looks good! I heart white trim also. If you need anything during this time don't hesitate to call.