I woke up and ran through my list of "should-do's" in my head.
I should do laundry before the kids run out of clean underwear.
I should do some weekend housework so our house looks half-decently presentable for evening visitors.
I should make red pepper butter before the peppers in the garden go bad.
I should vacuum the Cheerios and dirt off the floor in the van and I should probably wash the outside while I'm at it.
I should start supper and get it in the crock-pot before the afternoon gets so filled up that I excuse myself and order take-out again.
I should go buy stamps for the mail that should be sent out.
I should respond to my overflowing inbox.
I should, I should, I should.
My thoughts were interrupted by an excited little voice from a girl in a yellow princess dress. "Mommy, I have a good idea! We should go to the park!"
I smiled and almost spit out my standard line, "No, not right now. Mommy has a lot of things need to get done first," but I didn't. Her suggestion startled me. It wasn't a request out of the ordinary, but it revealed something concerning; in my long list of things that needed attention, deliberately taking the time to enjoy my children without distraction was not one of them.
They were the interruptions to my housework, the distractions to making red pepper butter, and a interference while I folded wash. My list for the day suggested they were an after thought, not a priority.
A lump caught in my throat. I never want my children to feel like an annoyance, or worse, a mistake.
They needed to know that they were more precious to me than clean floors, a stack of neatly folded towels, and red pepper butter.
Read the rest at Raising Homemakers.
***
If you're looking for a great resource to help you find the balance between mothering and managing your home, may I recommend Large Family Logistics? The title is a bit misleading in that this book is helpful for any mother, not just those with several children! This is my go-to gift for Moms, new and seasoned, and my #1 favorite resource as a Keeper of the Home. Kim Brenneman will equip you with everything you need to efficiently run a household while making your children your top priority.
This post contains affiliate links. Thank-you for your support!
If you enjoyed this post, you may wish to follow Growing Home for updates via Google Friend Connect, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, or have them emailed directly to your inbox.