i am desperately trying to slow it down.
last night i did an inventory of my activities... and i realized that my life is full of goodness.
it's just fast.
it changes.
our weekend was full...
of a daddy/daughter camp out on Friday night (there first ever REAL camp out).
i spent a mom/son trip around corvallis looking for zipped binders, then we watched Harry Potter...
Saturday was full of football and soccer and snippets of conference.
i put the little kids to bed, sent my big boys to priesthood session of conference and made donuts with the middles.
refrigerator donuts, not real homemade... but still traditional and happy.
during Sunday conference we painted pictures of our family for a family wall i'm envisioning.
wait till you see how cute it was.
i spent most of the time saying, "Shh... listen to what they are saying. It's so good."
while my children giggled with each other or whined because their picture wasn't good enough, or begged for another canvas so they could keep on painting.
(maybe my art project was too big of a distraction.)
(maybe my art project was too big of a distraction.)
how i love conference weekend.
our weekend didn't look like i had envisioned it.my children were children.
they got sips, when i wanted them to sit and drink deeply with me.
someday that will happen (it has happened before- we just missed it this weekend).
today, i'm going to turn on my computer and listen again so that i can soak in the words of a prophet and his 12 apostles.
i'm thirsty for their words, again.for family night we're going to listen again to the words of the prophet.
yes, I loved this talk...
http://lds.org/general-conference/watch/2011/10?lang=eng&vid=1196046483001&cid=5
and, i loved this quote...
"Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because they are cuter than stamps. It is not something you do if you can squeeze the time in. IT IS WHAT GOD GAVE YOU TIME FOR."
Elder Anderson told of a mother of seven who got on a bus with her children. The bus driver asked, "Are these all yours lady, or is it a picnic."
The mother responded, "Yes, they're all mine. And it's no picnic."
My weekend, was not a picnic.
But, it was good.Full and good.
I love being a mother.
Someday, I will sit and listen to conference without any interruptions.
And, I will miss my interruptions dearly.
i am blessed.
as i was doing my inventory last night i was taught something.
part of my stress, when i'm cleaning my house or being with my children, is that i feel like if i were doing it "right" my house would be clean and my children would be perfectly behaved.
last night the spirit whispered.
you are so blessed.
blessed with a life that is good and full.
as you clean, remember that it's not a mess because of something you are not doing right.
your house is messy because you ARE doing it right.
you clean because you are ABUNDANTLY BLESSED.
i am tired. i am always trying. my life is full, not because of something i'm NOT doing right.
but, because there are so many things that i am doing right.
my life is full, because i am ABUNDANTLY BLESSED.
and for that perspective, I am so grateful.
as i was doing my inventory last night i was taught something.
part of my stress, when i'm cleaning my house or being with my children, is that i feel like if i were doing it "right" my house would be clean and my children would be perfectly behaved.
last night the spirit whispered.
you are so blessed.
blessed with a life that is good and full.
as you clean, remember that it's not a mess because of something you are not doing right.
your house is messy because you ARE doing it right.
you clean because you are ABUNDANTLY BLESSED.
i am tired. i am always trying. my life is full, not because of something i'm NOT doing right.
but, because there are so many things that i am doing right.
my life is full, because i am ABUNDANTLY BLESSED.
and for that perspective, I am so grateful.
I totally thought of you when I heard that story by Elder Anderson Jen. The quotes on being a mother were so great! I love that we can already relisten and download conference. I am ready to fed again. Have a good week Jen!
ReplyDeleteThat should say ready to be fed again. I am sure you knew that though.
ReplyDeleteWasn't conference wonderful? We had to laugh when we listened to that talk, too. Life is busy and crazy and not always great but it is good. It's so fun to read your posts everyday, Jen.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing the real quote. i was too lazy to listen and find it. :)
ReplyDeletemaybe you already found this, but i thought i'd share the link to the original lady's post.
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/authors/rachel-jankovic
it's under 'Motherhood Is a Calling'. Her other ones look interesting as well.
Great idea to paint family pictures. i love it!
oh - and I love the phrase 'abundantly blessed'... isn't that so true.
You don't know me. I am actually a friend of the Heather that just posted. Thank you for your posts. There have been many days that they have hit home! I have 3 children and that will be all for us, yet we desired 7 when we married. It's interesting how life is full of surprises. But whether a mother of 3 or 7 I am grateful to be a mother and grateful for your beautiful posts. Thanks for being REAL!
ReplyDeleteCount them blessings...
ReplyDelete