Raising Children

Sometimes I try to remind myself that "I am raising children, not a house."

It is difficult to give your children all of the attention you feel they deserve and have your house looking how you want it to. I wish my kitchen cupboards could always be perfectly organized and my floor shining from just being mopped. I wish my living room carpet was always recently shampooed and the piano just dusted. I wish my bathtub was always just scrubbed and the sink never had toothpaste or hair on it (or hair stuck in the toothpaste stuck on the stink...) But those are just wishes... 

I have been praying a lot that Heavenly Father will help me to recognize the good that I do in my children's lives and that I will learn more how to be sensitive to their needs. Being a mother can be so rewarding and yet so darn challenging. Their is no way to do it and do it well without the Lord's help. And it is a righteous desire so I know that the Lord will help me.

Some days I end the day thinking, "Was anything productive done today?" It just seemed like a whilrwind of good things attempted that all went wrong. But other days I end and think, "Yes! I did it!" 

I have been surprised how easily I have been able to let things like housework go so I can spend more time with my kids. When Creighton was born I couldn't follow the advice, "Sleep when the baby sleeps." But now I am more than happy to spend time just holding Miss Jo while she sleeps. It is so fun to hold Macey and read to Creighton on the couch. We are usually covered in cars and books and blankets and the same are strewn down the hallway. But I am finding so much comfort in the fact that my calling as a mother is important. I am grateful for the Lord's help in helping me to be the kind of mother I want to be and in helping me to recognize my weaknesses and helping me to strengthen them.

I prayed for help in recognizing the good I do in my children's lives because sometimes it is difficult to see the fruits of your labors. But I have been able to recognize that only through the gospel of Jesus Christ should children be taught and can a family live the happiest. I am blessed to have a husband who desires to have the same family life I do so we can strive for that together.  

  Honestly some days Creighton is so frustrating I am not sure what to do. Some days I yell and some times I spank and others days I just shake my head and when I don't know what else to do I just cry. But those things that are the hardest are the most rewarding and I also have some very very special moments with him. Right now Macey Jo just mostly makes me smile... but she can have some pretty icky diapers...

In fact I came home from work last week and as I walked in the door a smell just about knocked me over and I wondered if I might have taken that "not raising a house" thing a little too seriously. So I searched for the smelly diaper and then insisted on some spring cleaning. 

This momma is trying to learn lots on her journey in motherhood and is just beginning...