I talk.
A lot.
I talk an awful lot for having such young children. At four and six, I’m pretty sure I lose them between the logic and the lesson I’m trying to impart. I’ve known about it for a while, this overabundance of words. My tendency to talk in circles until someone stops me or I satisfy my untamed tongue stretches back to my teenage times. (UGH! Am I really telling you this? Come on, confess something with me!)
Have you ever wondered how home life turned into such a hurry, such a mad dash of daunting to dos and tendencies to pounce rather than pardon?
Oh, this is so revealing and ultimately ugly of me to announce. But, I have to believe the Oldham’s are not the only ones! (….right?....)
We were stuck in a slump. It started with me. I'll take full responsibility and call it a ‘single-mom-gone-sassy slump’ since I AM the adult setting the tone.
What if you don’t have to do this alone?
What if we weren’t meant to live in these bubbles of self-sufficiency ready to pop with priorities we manage and overflowing daily planners? What if God’s given us assistants?
To me it sounds, well, too easy. I’ve trained myself to put one foot in front of the other, keep my chin up and run on adrenaline. Try telling me to ‘just do your best and forget the rest’. I’ll offer a sincere smile, nodding yet dismissing the wisdom in your words.
Why?
Kids in the kitchen is as simple as stirring the pot and soaking up time together. There's nothing more my girls really want then time and attention. Positive, affirming attention. It's my duty and pleasure to parent them that way. And, the kitchen seems like a perfect place!
As soon as things slow and seem straight forward, right when I feel l have my wits about me, a new riddle gets thrown my way. It seems like life has been a series of road bumps, blocks and then some break-through blessings over the last few years. I suppose ease is not what this is all about…it’s more about endurance, I’m certain of it!
All this bumping along has me feeling fatigued from time to time. For you too, right? Day in and day out. Right when the road seems smooth, we suddenly start slipping and swirling.
Come with me…humor me as I mumble this mommy mantra message…..
To me it seems all fast paced but then they come toddling along slower than molasses. It’s messy and complicated, frustrating and filled with vested interest. But then the simplicity is stunning. It’s costly and cluttered but still care-FULL and care-FREE. It’s the biggest challenge I face each day but the one thing that puts everything into loving perspective.
‘IT’ is motherhood. And ‘it’ is hard….but blissful.
