To try to maintain some sort of sanity, I've been immersing myself in "Chicken Soup For The Parent's Soul" which I checked out from Care Bear's (oops....I mean Little Miss Can't Be Wrong's") pre-school library. Reading about other parent's joys and heartaches that come along with parenting has somewhat helped me gain perspective when my kids are throwing themselves down the stairs and building a make-shift slide with the couch cushions down the stairs about breaking every bone in their bodies. One entry in particular really helped me yesterday and made me feel like I'm not the only mom in the world that feels the way I have been feeling the past week or so. I could have written it myself and I'm going to write it here for you to read.
I'm Okay
The house is a mess, the dishes are dirty.
I'm too old for this stuff, I'm well over thirty!
The car is not clean, my hair is a wreck,
And I've already spent next Friday's paycheck.
The laundry needs washing, the kids are too rowdy,
And I never have time for a leisurely, "Howdy."
With all that I do, it's never enough,
With all that I do, it's never enough,
It's never quite finished, it always looks rough.
I looked in my mirror and what did I see?
A harried old stranger, where I used to be.
The hurrier I go, the behinder I get
Today is tomorrow, and I'm not caught up yet.
My kids are growing at such a fast pace,
That I'm missing their childhood for the sake of this race.
I work and I clean and I cook, and I say
"Hit the books, clean your room!" There's no time for play.
Well, the Lord, for some reason, chose ME with the care
Of three of His children, but I'm rarely there!
I've GOT to slow down lest there's nothing to show
For my role as their mom when they pack up and go!
I'm only one person, but look through my door,
What appears to be one, divides into more!
I'm a chauffer, a cook, a planter of trees,
A teacher, an umpire, a mender of knees.
Sometimes, I forget that deep down inside,
There's a lady with feelings, and last night she cried.
She gets tired and lonely, feels taken for granted
She wants to see blooms from the seeds that she's planted.
Then, amidst all the turmoil in this mind-bending pace,
My little ones look at me--square in the face...
And just when I need it, they all in one day
Say, "Momma, I love you" and then....I'm OKAY!
--Rabona Gordon
Well, now that that's off my chest....I must trudge back through the two new feet of snow back to my three rugrats....who I will resume calling Anakin, Care Bear and Feisty. I love 'em....squirrely or not.
11 comments:
That was a great passage.
I'm right there with ya! Did I mention that my kids get 2 1/2 weeks off for Winter break? And it's snowing here again too! I can so relate to that passage too! Sorry!
Wonderfully written, Kristen. Being a mommy is no small task, but the rewards do keep coming in.
There is no coincidence in the timing of the readings God puts in our paths.
A true and accurate posting Kristen. I have 6 weeks with my kids ahead of me :) But at least it's summer here in Australia !
http://livingwith3kids.blogspot.com/
Lol, Kristen be brave...you are bigger than them! hehe! Wow! You all are really getting a ton of the white stuff! What's up with that! I don't think I'll make any suggestions other than have you heard of the game "who can clean the house the best"! hehe!
If all else fails raise the white flag...Oh, they probably won't see it if you are still out in that snowdrift! lol
That was me, Mom, in the comment that says Kristen. Don't know how that happened!
You poor thing. I remember several blizzards where we were pretty much home bound for days on end. Amazing how creative a mama can get when the kids start getting so bored it's going to drive everyone crazy.
I know you just got blasted with snow again. Eight inches doesn't sound like much until it's piled on top of the two feet from the week before that was never cleared out. What a mess.
Look to the bright side, Kristen. Sooner or later the sun will come out and it will melt and life will return to normal. Meantime, I'm just praying for you. I know you're at your wits end.
Happy New Year to you and yours. Stay inside and stay warm.
A little cabin fever. It doesn't take but one day for me to feel like that!
The good news is...it will eventually be over.
great thought
Oh Kristen - I remember those days well. I used to wonder how they managed in the old days in a little log cabin with a large family and no where to go. This too shall pass (and I know that's no comfort at all). However, when I look back at how quickly the years have gone I know it's true.
Have a Happy New Year!! I'm praying for sunny days for you.
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