What is an ordinary day for a mom? I used to know. I woke up and by 10:00 am I had cleaned the bathrooms, colored with Kenzie, laundered 2 loads of laundry, feed all three girls breakfast, took Meg and Maddie to school, vacuumed the floors, did a puzzle with Kenzie, checked my email, brushed all three kid's teeth, dressed them, fixed Steve's breakfast, and mopped the bathrooms and the kitchen.
After I picked Maddie up, I felt like my day was complete, and it was only 11:00 am. I keep wondering why so many people think stay home moms sit around all day and do nothing. I must confess that I used to think that before I quit my job 8 years ago. Now, I look back and wonder how would I have worked. I think that being a "homemaker" should be an extremely valued profession. It is a profession of thanklessness and often long days of overtime with no incentives. The pay is definitely not an underlying factor of commitment to the profession. Knowing what I know now, I can honestly say going back to work as a teacher sounds like a relaxing day!
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Friday, November 25, 2005
The Holidays
I think that the holidays have started. On our street the lights started going up two days ago. I heard on the news that several got hurt shopping on black Friday. There was a laptop computer on sale at walmart that was a hot ticket item. I also heard that Target has their employees saying happy holidays instead of Merry Christmas. I think their statement was that they felt a responsibility for their costumer's diversity.
I just wonder if you should replace Merry Christmas with Happy Holidays. I mean it seems like this holiday would not exist if it was not for a particular person's birthday. Anyway, I really just wonder if I can survive the Christmas season. Steve and I have been getting a little down lately. I think this seminary thing is the problem. I am not sure if it is okay to be this negative on a blog, but oh well.
It could just be the holidays making us blue. Christmas brings a lot of expectations with the gift giving thing. Sometimes, I wish we could just outlaw it and say it is against the law to give gifts. I wonder what Christmas would be like as celebration where gifts were not even a part of it. What if you could sit down to a meal, sing songs, play games, or read to your guests. I don't think it could be done because the whole evening would be awkward. I suppose that I am looking for an authentic Christmas where it doesn't matter what you gave or what you got. Is that silly?
I just wonder if you should replace Merry Christmas with Happy Holidays. I mean it seems like this holiday would not exist if it was not for a particular person's birthday. Anyway, I really just wonder if I can survive the Christmas season. Steve and I have been getting a little down lately. I think this seminary thing is the problem. I am not sure if it is okay to be this negative on a blog, but oh well.
It could just be the holidays making us blue. Christmas brings a lot of expectations with the gift giving thing. Sometimes, I wish we could just outlaw it and say it is against the law to give gifts. I wonder what Christmas would be like as celebration where gifts were not even a part of it. What if you could sit down to a meal, sing songs, play games, or read to your guests. I don't think it could be done because the whole evening would be awkward. I suppose that I am looking for an authentic Christmas where it doesn't matter what you gave or what you got. Is that silly?
Thursday, November 24, 2005
A Good Mom?
I had decided that while the kids were off this week that I was going to give them a good mom! I believe that a good mom guides her children in this world by helping them grow, learn, and adapt. This whole week I did my best to give the girls a great thanksgiving holiday.
Yesterday, I started by going to Target to buy paper towels. When I got back, we ate lunch and watched a soccer movie together. Afterwards, the fun began! We made turkey cookies and the mess became a little much. I had bought gel instead of icing to decorate them. I would not recommend gel for anything. I had been on good behavior as a mom all week, but my patience was being tested.
After the cookies, they helped me make pumpkin pies. Everyone wanted to do the eggs! Megan did get to use the mixer for the first time. I even gave Maddie a try at it. This upset Kenzie because she really wanted to do it too. I could not bring myself to hand over a mixer to a 3 year old. We got the pies made. Thank goodness!
It was then time for our placemats. We started making thankful placemats last year, and I noticed that it gave the girls a chance to express what they were thankful for. They made turkeys with feathers and on the feathers they wrote what they were thankful for. As I began reading, I got teary eyed. I mean most kids would say their toys or their swingset. I saw things like Nana, Dad, Mom, and Soccer. The one that brought it all together is when I saw God and Jesus.
What is a good MOM? Who knows? I wonder if a good mom is one that can be grateful that her children have that perspective? I am not sure if that is an arrogant statement or not.
Yesterday, I started by going to Target to buy paper towels. When I got back, we ate lunch and watched a soccer movie together. Afterwards, the fun began! We made turkey cookies and the mess became a little much. I had bought gel instead of icing to decorate them. I would not recommend gel for anything. I had been on good behavior as a mom all week, but my patience was being tested.
After the cookies, they helped me make pumpkin pies. Everyone wanted to do the eggs! Megan did get to use the mixer for the first time. I even gave Maddie a try at it. This upset Kenzie because she really wanted to do it too. I could not bring myself to hand over a mixer to a 3 year old. We got the pies made. Thank goodness!
It was then time for our placemats. We started making thankful placemats last year, and I noticed that it gave the girls a chance to express what they were thankful for. They made turkeys with feathers and on the feathers they wrote what they were thankful for. As I began reading, I got teary eyed. I mean most kids would say their toys or their swingset. I saw things like Nana, Dad, Mom, and Soccer. The one that brought it all together is when I saw God and Jesus.
What is a good MOM? Who knows? I wonder if a good mom is one that can be grateful that her children have that perspective? I am not sure if that is an arrogant statement or not.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Loneliness
My husband taught at our church yesterday, and his subject brought back a lot of wonderful memories of my childhood. His sermon was about children and parents. It is funny how when you grow up the right perspective kind of finds you. By listening to my husband's teaching, I realized that parenting is hard and that you have to have the right thing guiding you. (He used a plow illustration that was really great!) I also felt a little afirmed in my parenting. It is nice to know that maybe your not messing your kids up too bad!
It made me remember the wonderful times that I have had with my family(my parents and brother). We seem to always find the laughter in things. We always say what needs to be said. Living in Texas for these 2 1/2 years has been a very lonely time. We are making some friends, but their still not what you call soul mates. With Thanksgiving Day coming soon, it is hard to remember the good times that I had with my parents and my brother and not miss them terribly.
I know that God's purpose in all of this is higher than mine. I, also, know that the loneliness that I am experiencing is nothing compared to what Jesus felt on the cross. I hope that my parents and brother know how much I miss being with them for Thanksgiving Day.
Eventhough I am lonely, I am also excited to be cooking for my own family. I am attempting to do turkey and ham this year. I wonder how that will come out! I am enjoying my kids being home for the holiday too. I know that showing my own kids what Thanksgiving is all about is a pretty good way to spend my time!
It made me remember the wonderful times that I have had with my family(my parents and brother). We seem to always find the laughter in things. We always say what needs to be said. Living in Texas for these 2 1/2 years has been a very lonely time. We are making some friends, but their still not what you call soul mates. With Thanksgiving Day coming soon, it is hard to remember the good times that I had with my parents and my brother and not miss them terribly.
I know that God's purpose in all of this is higher than mine. I, also, know that the loneliness that I am experiencing is nothing compared to what Jesus felt on the cross. I hope that my parents and brother know how much I miss being with them for Thanksgiving Day.
Eventhough I am lonely, I am also excited to be cooking for my own family. I am attempting to do turkey and ham this year. I wonder how that will come out! I am enjoying my kids being home for the holiday too. I know that showing my own kids what Thanksgiving is all about is a pretty good way to spend my time!
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Thankfulness
With Thanksgiving coming soon, I have been wondering about what it truly means to be thankful. Is it when your little girl scores the winning goal for her soccer team? Could thankful mean that you have your health or a roof over your head? What about enjoying the comfort of friends and family on Thanksgiving day. I struggle with this word, because I am not sure if I know what it really means. I sometimes wonder if I only know unthankfulness. I get upset when my child throws her stuff in the floor or if the drive threw at McDonalds is too slow. I don't often stop and thank God for my little girl or the ablity to drive to a resturant.
As I was reading for my lesson for Sunday, I began to realize that Jesus was pretty smart about teaching us thankfulness. In the story of the Ten healed of Leprosy, Jesus heals all ten lepers. Only one man comes back to tell Jesus "Thank you". Jesus points out that he healed all ten lepers, but only one came back.-that seemed to speak to me. Jesus places valve on us saying thank you. I wonder which leper am I?
I wonder how many times that I have a complaining heart and not a thankful heart. I tend to find the drudge in everything. I really what to challenge myself to stop and find the thankfulness in everything. As a family, we decided to start sponsoring a compassion international child. At first, I had an unwilling heart and did not know how we could. I was concerned about our finacial status at this moment. As I looked at this little girl's photo, I could not bear the thought of what she has and what my little girls have. She probably has very little compared to my little girls. I suppose what I am trying to get at is that I have it great, and I need to know gratefulness and thankfulness. I also need to say thank you more often especially to my Savior. I am really not sure if this is what you use a blog for, but it seems therapeutic!
As I was reading for my lesson for Sunday, I began to realize that Jesus was pretty smart about teaching us thankfulness. In the story of the Ten healed of Leprosy, Jesus heals all ten lepers. Only one man comes back to tell Jesus "Thank you". Jesus points out that he healed all ten lepers, but only one came back.-that seemed to speak to me. Jesus places valve on us saying thank you. I wonder which leper am I?
I wonder how many times that I have a complaining heart and not a thankful heart. I tend to find the drudge in everything. I really what to challenge myself to stop and find the thankfulness in everything. As a family, we decided to start sponsoring a compassion international child. At first, I had an unwilling heart and did not know how we could. I was concerned about our finacial status at this moment. As I looked at this little girl's photo, I could not bear the thought of what she has and what my little girls have. She probably has very little compared to my little girls. I suppose what I am trying to get at is that I have it great, and I need to know gratefulness and thankfulness. I also need to say thank you more often especially to my Savior. I am really not sure if this is what you use a blog for, but it seems therapeutic!
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
First Blog Thing
This is my first attempt to blog. It is such a foreign thing to me. Spybot does it all the time, and I know that he is really great at it. The things he writes are so interesting, but my blog I am not so sure about. I mean who is going to read about poo-poo accidents, cleaning the house over and over, doing 8-10 loads of laundry a week, and picking up kids all day long? I hope that I have something to offer the blogging community. Well, it feels very late, and it took so long to set this blog up that I need to turn in. Thanks sprybot for all your help. Hopefully, I can find something cool to say next time.
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