I remember so many times when our four kids were a bit younger and I couldn’t decide what to do. Here's one scenario: it was my day off, two were in school, one had morning preschool and one was at home, and she would finally go down for a morning nap. My dilemma? Do I take the hour to lie down myself and rest since I was so tired, or should I get things done which were staring me in the face, i.e. dishes, bills, laundry, school papers which needed to be filled out, etc!
I knew I would feel better about myself if I got the chores done, but then I would be tired all day and probably impatient with the kids and not a very pleasant mommy. It’s true that sometimes I would dive into the necessary chores and then just try to get through the day the best I could. (Remember those were the days when I worked on-air until late at night and got to bed about 2-3am).
But sometimes I did what the plaque in our powder room says, “Excuse this House”. There were many times when I would read that plaque and know that I needed to rest for a short time, rejuvenate my batteries, so that as Elizabeth woke up from her nap and Ryan came home from preschool at lunchtime and as Eric and Cory came home from school mid-afternoon that I would have the energy to give them my attention to help with homework, to make them a snack, to lay on the living room carpet and play with Thomas the Tank Engine or to just roll around on the floor with them and get down on their level. They LOVED that!
Even though the children are older now and two are in their own apartments, the house is still always in some level of disarray. Do I look back and wish I had always kept it cleaner during those years? Of course not! I’m glad I spent time with the kids!!! Keeping your home straightened up and clean is an ongoing process all the time anyway.
So, with this Mother’s Day 2013 this weekend, and you’re hoping to be shown some appreciation for all you do around the house, just stop what you are doing and spend time with the kids. The dishes can wait, the laundry will get done eventually out of necessity, etc. If they are younger, get on the floor with them. If they are teenagers, get them all sitting around the kitchen table and play a board game or card game. Take them all bowling or to a park and throw a Frisbee or ball. If they are teens, they may groan and roll their eyes, but tell them it’s ‘your’ day, and you get to decide what the family does together. Ultimately, they will look back on it as a special memory, or if you’re lucky, they’ll ask to do it again sometime!
If you are a mom like me, we are blessed beyond anything we deserve! So even when the going gets hard and you wonder if you can do it all, think about the blessings the children have brought along the way and know they really do appreciate YOU!
I hope you enjoy the two photos of our four blessings I included. The first was taken about 13 years ago and the one above was taken just a few months ago. I can’t help but smile and melt every time I look at them! I hope to write a Mom to Mom blog once a month and include family photos. So, check back about the middle of each month to see what else the Roe’s are up to!
Counting our blessings,
Mary Beth Roe