Krystle’s Reviews > Detoured: The Messy, Grace-Filled Journey from Working Professional to Stay-at-Home Mom > Status Update

Pg. 60 “In so many ways, the mother in any home is the hub that makes the entire family wheel turn. When we accept this truth and the great responsibility that it carries, we can humbly give thanks to God for entrusting us with the holy work that takes place at home. The preparation we provide our families makes all the difference in how they experience life.”

Pgs. 59-60 “Making your home a place where peace reigns matters. I know it’s difficult to separate the things that must be done from how they make us feel as we do them, but once you master the art of finding the true meaning behind serving your family with this kind of work, it becomes easier to do it with a willing heart.”

Pg. 58 “I’m always amazed at how quickly my home goes from clean to cluttered when my kids are just simply living their lives in the house. I’ve heard from many friends working outside the home that their homes stay cleaner longer simply because they aren’t there most of the time. Ours is a blessed, albeit frustrating, problem to have.”

Pg. 58 “When I’ve left the boys with him to run errands, I often return to find him wondering aloud how I ever get anything done during the week. It’s often just the validation I need to continue being the Wonder Woman of my own home.”

Pg. 58 “After you’ve spent time learning what he feels are the keys to a peaceful home & sharing your own thoughts, start the negotiations. What will he do & what will you do as you both work to keep your home running well? Know that the bulk of the housework will most likely fall to you–not because you’re a put-upon housewife from the 50s, but because you’re the one who is home the majority of the time.”

Pg. 57 “Not to mention, if you’re working hard to make sure his shirts are ironed each week, but all he really wants is a freshly vacuumed living room when he gets home, you’re wasting time as a partner to your husband in a way that doesn’t really make him feel loved the way he prefers. This goes both ways, of course.”

Pg. 57 “Laying the groundwork for task division is so important because housework usually has more emotion tied to it than it should.”

Pg. 57 “If you haven’t discussed housework already in your relationship, now is the time to talk about it: Which household tasks really matter to him because they make the difference between a house that feels chaotic and one that feels peaceful? What chore do you absolutely hate and wish you never had to do again? Talk about it.”

Pg. 57 “When we married our husbands, we promised to be a partner, and with that promise comes responsibilities. I encourage you to think about what you know of your husband and what he needs from you. (I know, at this point you might be thinking that you can’t possibly give— and shouldn’t have to give—any more than you already do. But keep reading. He’s not off the hook either.)”

Pg. 57 “Before any kind of decisions can be made about who does what, there needs to be an acknowledgment that things are different now. You are in the home, and he’s at work. For him, life might very much look the same during the day except for your text messages reminding him that he’s later than he said he would be and that it’s been a long day for you. For you, life looks nothing like it used to.”