I manage a country homestead and the lives of my 4 babies ages 10,8,5 and 3. I LOVE TO RUN and NEED to keep healthy and fit for my SANITY!! Seriously....All problems are solved when I am running.

Making MY health a priority allows me to be the mother and wife that I need to be for them.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Overdue Attitudes

Good morning. 3 days overdue.
I'm determined to enjoy the day today with my kids. Adam had to work a night shift last night which means I've got the kids to myself all day and can't rely on him to help me so I might as well suck it up and put on a happy face.

Last night after putting the kids to bed I just felt crappy. These last few days/weeks/months? have been difficult and emotional for me and I can barely count on my hands the number of times I have laughed with my kids.

I don't want to plug along in life. Keeping the house clean, making supper, doing groceries, bathing them and keeping the kids neat tidy and obedient. Although having a good home is important and having obedient and respectful kids is important I certainly don't want THAT to be how they remember their childhood.

I want them to remember joyful family memories, a mom that took the time to play THEIR game with them, that takes them for ice cream, and that JUST STOPS TO CUDDLE THEM and tells them how special they are. I want to be LOVING. I want to be the one they count on to love them no matter how screwed up they are. I want them to KNOW that I think they are pretty amazing and lately I have been messing up in that category.

I do try to do these things but this pregnancy has been pretty tough on me. As you know I'm a pretty active mom. I LOVE to push my kids on the swings, kick the soccer ball with them, swim with them, go for bike rides and be able to sit on the floor to play a board game with them. Unfortunately when you take that ability away from me it also takes away a big part of the mommy that I am.
I may be wrong, but I FEEL as though I've been plugging along just trying to keep the house tidy and it has been consuming me. I'm tired of being frustrated and angry that I am not the one playing soccer with them. That I am not the one taking them for long walks in the forest. I'm glad they have other people to be there for them when I can't be but it is now MY TURN.

My priorities need to change. My life needs to change. I no longer want the accolades of having a tidy house and nice kids. I would prefer a messier house and happier family.
Is it in me? Can I be THAT mom? I'm not putting pressure on myself. Just evaluating our lives and rearranging priorities. Now is the time while they are young. Now is the time while we are all home together anyway to enjoy our lives and explore. Now is the time to head to the water spread out a blanket and just play in the sand.

Since the Lord seems to think that Audrey needs to stay in my tummy a few more days, I might as well not waste the time given to me. In fact I think it would be an insult to the Lord not to enjoy.

3 comments:

Erin said...

hmm you are a wise woman alyson.

Anonymous said...

Oh I soooo get what you are saying..I would love to be that mom-the one that lets it all go, present all the time in the moment, appears to be an everlasting well of patience, calm, and fun!! But, I'm not!!And trying to be her only makes me feel worse!!!!!!

Something that we have found very helpful is to create daily rituals that involve laughing-breaks the mood when I am at the kitchen sink AGAIN!! BY having these now be a part of the daily routine, I have those moments that I feel I am laughing with the kids and letting them know how much I am really enjoying them. If they were not routine now, there are days I would never initiate it-but they do, because it is just what we do...we dance before breakfast to really loud 80s rap-you should see Gary to the "worm"-funny and painful all at the same time. It is 5 minutes (timer set actually-that is how anal I am)-but that 5 minutes ensures we are starting our day and sending our children out in the world knowing this place-home-is fun and full of odd dance moves. We also have a routine that after supper, everyone hugs-hugs tightly, hugs silly-who cam make the craziest hug (hug the legs, hug the arms, hug while drinking, etc.) Sounds wierd I know, but the kids love it and actually since then, they ask I am not kidding 5-7 times a day "hug please"-forces me to stop for the millisecond it takes to hug them and tell them-wow, I love you, you are a blessing, I am sorry we yelled at eachother earlier, I need your help today, that feels good--little messages in those very small moments of reconnection that at the end of the day-and some are oh, not so nice days-that make me feel better as their mom.

Just remember-the fact that you are thinking about this and feeling it deep within you-is evidence that you are a great mom who is striving to provide your children with the best gift you can-the feeling of being unconditionally loved-something they can get nowhere but at home!!!

Praying for you as you are in this season of waiting..

Suzin

Nancy said...

I hear you. .. .

Well said.