A Mother's Work is Never Done

Yesterday I knew it was going to be a busy day.  I had it all planned out.  It did not go according to plan.  But things rarely do...and you just have to learn to roll with it.

Having a family, of any size, takes a considerable amount of work.  There is not a lot of "free time".  Usually what "free time" really means is something else got put on hold so that mom and dad could have some R & R.  There is ALWAYS something to do.

I used to think that it was busy, crazy and hard to have an infant or toddler.  At one point we had an infant, a 2 year old and an almost 4 year old.  At that point we had three in diapers.  Oh yeah.  THAT was fun!  It was constant.  Diapers.  Baths. Nursing. Cleaning. Chasing. Severe sleep deprivation.

I wouldn't change it for ANYTHING!

Somehow I thought that eventually things would slow down as the kids got older.  I thought that I would sleep more.  Haha!  I thought that I would have more "free time".  Well, haha, I am still looking forward to that day.

Right now I have one in pull-ups...she'll turn 4 tomorrow.  All of my kids have potty trained late.  And potty training is my very least favorite part of having children.  They seem to know that and so they just keep delaying the inevitable...I guess.

Instead of gaining the elusive "free time" I have gained new challenges.  This, I have come to understand, is simply a part of life.

So, back to yesterday...
I needed to package the venison that my husband and two oldest boys cut up over the weekend.  I also needed to get to the store.  And now...when I say store...I mean several stores.  It's never a quick trip to the store when providing for 8 people.

We were out of milk. You'd think it was the END OF THE WORLD!  And powdered milk has such a bad rep that they all wine and complain if they have to use it.  So, off to the store I went, with my almost 4 year old in tow.

We first had to return the wrestling shoes that I purchased on Saturday because my 2nd son couldn't squeeze his huge feet into the tiny hole.  Haha!  Then we stopped at BJ's (like a Sam's Club or Costco) for several items.  Next...30 minutes back into town...we stopped at Save A Lot for the items we could purchase there, for a decent price.  Then to the High School to drop of the wrestling shoes to my son...who NEEDED them that day.  Walmart. Hannaford. Tupperware lady. *sigh*

Then home.

Remember that meat that I needed to package...yeah.  After we put away all of the groceries I began packaging the venison.  I am SO thankful for that meat!  And my  kids absolutely love it.  It's a great blessing to us.

I glanced at the clock...5:00pm already!  Oh my goodness!  I enlisted the help of my husband to get the meat finished while I cleaned pans...yeah dishes hadn't gotten cleaned yet...and started dinner.  Dinner was finished. Next paperwork called my name that needed to be filled out and sent back.

Then we gathered the family for Family Home Evening.  It's a short spiritual lesson that we have each week with our family.  This lesson was about self reliance; what that means and how we can apply it.  Good lesson!

By that time it was after 8pm and and passed time to get the little ones to bed.  Jammies, snuggle time, hugs and kisses, and bedtime prayer.

All of the sudden it was 9pm and I knew that if I didn't get to bed I would be exhausted at 4:50 am this morning.

I've heard so many negative things about those who are able to be a Stay-at-home-mom.  What I have come to realize is that it's the most challenging, most busy and crazy, most rewarding job that anyone could have.  I am the cook, baker, cleaning lady, secretary, chauffeur, schedule coordinator, manager, mediator, accountant, and more. I am privileged to be able to comfort my kids when they need me.  I am able to tell them I love them every day as they walk out the door and climb onto the bus. I can make them healthy food. I am able to be there when they are excited about something...or sad.  I am able to teach them and train them.

What greater joy could there be in the world.  Motherhood is the greatest!

We are blessed!

Blessings.  If we take the time to really ponder on our blessed lives, to truly count each one, I think we would be surprised at how blessed we truly are.

I've been thinking about how blessed we are recently.  Not because Thanksgiving is coming.  Not because Christmas is around the corner.  I've been thinking about it because life has been really hard lately.  That's not so say that others don't have it much more difficult than we do.  There are many with harder, more testing trials than I have right now.  But life can be tough. And when it is tough it seems that we are more humble, maybe, and more aware of the little blessings that are constantly pouring down on us from Heaven.

I listened to a wonderful speaker recently who spoke of blessings.  Some of his words have really stayed with me.  (You can find the full talk here.)

"Being grateful in our circumstances is an act of faith in God. It requires that we trust God and hope for things we may not see but which are true.8 By being grateful, we follow the example of our beloved Savior, who said, “Not my will, but thine, be done.”9

True gratitude is an expression of hope and testimony. It comes from acknowledging that we do not always understand the trials of life but trusting that one day we will."

There have been many times when it would have been easier to simply be angry.  Angry with everyone and everything.  Angry at the world.  But I learned that I would never find happiness unless I found a way to be happy in any circumstance. There are still times when it's difficult. Living in Texas for a year was a very trying time for us. At the same time, we can see many blessings that came from it.

"Part of our challenge is, I think, that we imagine that God has all of His blessings locked in a huge cloud up in heaven, refusing to give them to us unless we comply with some strict, paternalistic requirements He has set up. But the commandments aren’t like that at all. In reality, Heavenly Father is constantly raining blessings upon us. It is our fear, doubt, and sin that, like an umbrella, block these blessings from reaching us.

His commandments are the loving instructions and the divine help for us to close the umbrella so we can receive the shower of heavenly blessings." Dieter F Uctdorf's talk.

Yesterday I was pondering the many blessings in our lives right now.  Our 15 year old son shot his first deer.  It was an exciting afternoon in our house.

But first I need to tell the back story.  The boys and my husband got up at 6 am and got ready to hunt.  It was raining out so they had to postpone until the rain stopped.  The boys finished chores and asked permission to get out their laptops to play a game.  I gave permission before realizing that the rain had stopped and they could finally go out. When I realized the rain had stopped and their Papa was ready to take them and their dad out hunting I told them they needed to put the laptops away.  They were angry.  They fought with me and were grumpy because they had to quit their game.  I promised them that if they changed their attitude and went out hunting they could play their game when they got home.  But if they chose to stay home they could sit on their beds and be grumpy.  They chose to go. And they are so thankful they did!

Not only was it a thrill, a rush, an awesome experience...it is a blessing.  Our son just provided more meat for our family for the winter. He learned that he CAN in fact sit quietly and wait and watch and hit his target.  He is so happy.

Even though life is tough at times we need to remember that Heavenly Father is watching over us.  He WANTS us to be happy.  He is blessing us.  As we strive to be good people and follow Him, He will continue to bless us.

The happy girl

The fat rain drops pounded on the ground.  It echoed through the chimney; plink, tink, plonk.  It gushed out of the gutters and onto the brown grass.  There was freshness in it as the drops poured from the gray cloud-filled sky.  I sat, looking out the window, as the rain drops hit the puddle that had formed in the folding chair. I have always felt a sadness that went along with rain.  And this time was no different. 

Cassie was happy today though.  There are so many days when she is just sad, grouchy, and angry and those days always seem to be followed by rainy days.  She can feel it coming, and it doesn't make her feel well.  I think, from what I can determine from her mood and actions that it down right hurts. 

When I was a teenage girl and I was babysitting, I loved the children I cared for…for the most part.  Having children looked fun and easy.  Now, as I am in my 17^th year of mothering/parenting, etc., I have found that the fairy tale only exists in pieces; small glimpses of wonderful-ness.

There are fairy tale moments, indeed.  There are glimpses of beauty in motherhood. And when they happen I pause and try to take in those precious pieces of my day. They don’t last, but THEY are what make parenting worth it…especially when many moments are filled with the day to day, and the hurts, trials and troubles of life. 

One of my struggles has always been in knowing what each child needs and finding a way to meet those needs.  Months ago we eliminated food dyes and other dyes from Cassie’s life followed by ridding her of gluten.  The change in her has been extremely significant. She is happier.  She talks more.  She actually talks to people outside of our house….sometimes. She is sweet and funny.  And when she has a bad day I find myself searching again for answers and ideas that could help her to be happy. 

As of late, the topic or thought on my mind has been trying to determine a cause for these hard days and then a solution. I haven’t found it yet, but I’m sure through prayer and pondering I will be led to the right information that will bless our lives as a whole.