MY GOOFY CHILDREN!

There is something incredibly special about being given the privilege of being a SAHM!  I work hard every day and the rewards are endless.  Where else can my pay be given in hugs, kisses, and “I love you Mommy?”  Nowhere, and it is wonderful! 

Okay, some days are more wonderful than others, and I will be the first to admit that I don’t love everything about motherhood.  I mean who loves being awakened at 12:30 am because someone has gotten sick all over their bed?  Or loves the mountains of laundry that three small people can generate, add a baby and you are washing clothes at least 100 times a day!  And the cooking, why do these people need to eat so much?  I mean you would think that once a day would be enough, but noooo….these needy people want breakfast, dinner (lunch), and supper (dinner), with a few snacks thrown in between!  Let’s be realistic here people!  I love my children but wish they came with a self cleaning and feeding mode! BUT, I digress.

What struck me today, as I was watching my children play, was how wonderfully silly, well goofy really, they are.  Take, for example, my youngest son.  After asking if he could walk to Granny’s house (which I said yes to of course), he loaded up his bag of toys and headed out.  An hour later he was home complete with the bag, missing all the toys, and carrying a small bottle of orange juice.  When I asked him if he had a good time his exact words were: “Yes Mama, but I just had to get away from you!”  See what I mean, he’s a goofy kid!  Next thing I know he and his brother are wanting to be fed (for the second time of the day) and are dressed in their pajama’s playing; well I don’t know what they were playing it was a cross between Transformers and WWF wrestlers, or something like that I think!  Made me smile!  Add into the mix my preteen daughter who always has an MP3 player stuck to her ears, her toenails polished no less than two different colors at any given moment (today they are purple and orange!  Seriously, purple and orange?!?), while reading a book to the aforementioned brothers on my bed no less; and you have a house full of goofy kids!

This, of course, led me to thinking about all the crazy wonderful things that I did when I was younger.  (For the record, I was an angel……just saying!)  Which in turn lead me to thinking about God and how He deals with us: His goofy kids!  I wonder how often he looks down on us and sees us playing at life.  We play at church, we run away from Him because “we just need to get away”, we play at our jobs, we play at well, life.  Yet He sits there waiting patiently for us to get it all together and realize that we need Him and love Him.  He smiles at us as we do silly things.  He loves us when we do wrong things.  He cares for us when things seem unchanging and unfathomable. 

I am thankful that I get to go on a daily adventure with my goofy kids.  I am thankful for forts, unmade beds, sloppy hugs, interesting song choices, laundry (did I just admit that), and well for the joy that they bring!  I’m also very thankful for the daily reminder that I am just a goofy kid too, that God loves me for a thousand reasons or more, and that I can be, well ME, and that is okay!

Now, has anyone seen where the boy has hidden the pillows from my bed since they are cubes of power that need to be protected from the evil robots invading?

MIRACLE FROM GOD!

Today we found out that our new Little Bit is going to be another boy.  Some of us in our house are not happy, mainly the girl that is now totally surrounded by brothers and boys constantly.  I must admit that I have suspected it was going to be another boy since finding out we were going to be blessed again, but I am also disappointed that it is not another girl.

This led me to thinking.  Dangerous I know, but what can I do?  Why should I be unhappy with the blessings that God is giving me?  All I want is for this little one to be healthy.  All I want is for this baby to be blessed and grow up surrounded by love.  Why then am I disappointed that it is another boy?

Here’s why…….I miss pink.  I miss dresses.  I miss little ribbons, cute pig tails, and polished little toe nails.  I miss the idea of tea parties, dress up, and baby dolls.  I miss little kitchens; Barbie’s everywhere, and well, the general paraphernalia of a little girl.  I miss the idea of little kisses and hugs wrapped in girlie giggles and Mommy / Daughter time.  I miss taking my little girl to town when she is dressed in her princess dress.  I miss being a Mommy to a little girl.

As much as I miss this, I do know what I am.  I am the proud Mommy of a beautiful young lady.  I love how grown my daughter is and how she is willing to help.  I love her spirit, how she knows what she likes and why she likes it.  I love how my daughter is not interested in boys yet; no one is as strong, handsome, or mature as her Daddy!  I love how my daughter can be delicately beautiful and then tougher than most boys.  I love how my daughter can cook up a storm, clean a house in no time flat, and still know how to hunt and fish.  I love my boys, but my little girl holds a very dear place in my heart.

We will welcome Cole James sometimes in early December.  We will love him because he will be our gift from an amazing God.  In the meantime, I will enjoy my Starbuck’s run with my daughter.  I will covet her laughter, wisdom, and maturity.  I will relish being the Mommy to only one girl, and pray that I will be the best Mommy to my darling daughter that I can be.

YES, I ADMIT IT ~ I’M NOT PERFECT!

Okay, I will admit it.  There are days that I struggle with, well, life!  I work very hard to balance home, school, housework, homeschooling, being the encouraging wife, laundry, dishes, cooking, and laundry.  Did I mention laundry?  When I want to do something for me, I feel like I just don’t have the time.  Who can find the time to be everything to everyone?  Some days I feel totally overwhelmed, exhausted, and yes in spite of a house full of children alone.

Today has been one of those days.  Oh it is nothing in particular.  Maybe it is the rain.  Maybe it is the fact that the laundry that I folded and put into the appropriate child’s basket still has not been put away.  Maybe it’s the fact that I realized that I have not sat down to scrapbook for 3 years.  Maybe it’s because I am missing the “me” time that I was always able to find when we just had 2 children and I wasn’t in school full time.  Maybe….well maybe it is a lot of things.  In spite of this today has been a day of struggles.  Oh there is nothing in particular, just a blah day.

This has lead me to thinking about a lot of things.  Why am I so blah?  Haven’t I been abundantly blessed with everything that I desire?  Didn’t I always want to grow up?  Well, I’m grown!  Didn’t I always want to be a mom?  Been there, done that times four now!  Didn’t I always want to be a teacher?  Doing that too!  Why am I so blah?

The answer is simple, I’M NOT PERFECT!  To those of you who know me, this will not come as a big surprise.  I am not Super Mom!  I am not Super Woman!  I am just me, purposing to honor God the only way that I know how and be obedient to His call on my life.  For me that means washing clothes, doing dishes, cooking more food to be devoured by three hungry children, washing more clothes, educating aforementioned children, and deciding that yes I am worth the time to try to carve out some scrapbook time!

I know that I am not done running the race set before me!  I know that I cannot grow weary while doing good, although on days like today I am tempted to do just that!  I know that I am not perfect, but I know that I don’t have to be!  Jesus said that His yoke was easy and that His burden was light.  So on my not so perfect blah days, I can run to Him and be okay! 

 YES, I ADMIT IT ~ I’M NOT PERFECT, but that is what makes me wonderful and I know that it is okay!  JESUS IS PERFECT~ HE’S THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS ANYWAY!