Are you enjoying motherhood?

There will be a day when there will be

no writing on the walls,

Nor cuts or bruises from spills or falls.

The voices will no longer yell, shriek, or scream

through the rooms,

Just clean floors shining as dead silence looms.

I try so hard to embrace the current days as joys,

The long, high-energy, mess-cleaning days

with both of my boys.

As I decluttered my office today, I found this little poem I wrote...I think it was on a day I retreated to the Lord over my inability to cope with the demands of that day. It's not always easy to stay home daily with little people, who have limited language, limited self-control, and limited understanding of restrictions and expectations. But as I have continued to press into the Lord and meditate on Titus 2:3-5 - staying home for the sake of loving my husband, loving my kids, and being a worker of my home - staying home has become more fulfilling.

Reminds me of that song of Steven Curtis Chapman that talks about sweeping up Cheerios that have got away, put color on your lips, a baby on your hip and you head out the door...isn't that our life? There were days that I could have swore that the laundry was breeding and mulitplying, murmuring under my breath as I swept the kitchen for the forth time, only for dirt to be tracked in from outside...again

• Dirt in the floor tells me that my kids have been playing and having fun outside.
• Sticky finger prints on the sliding glass door means that my kids had a snack and are satisfied.
• Hot Wheels strewn all over Jacob's floor is a sign that both my boys were playing together and enjoying eachother's company. (Or Jacob was entertaining himself.)
• My boys at my feet, whining says that they want MOM.
• Kids refusing the rest of their dinner says that they are well-fed and nourished.

All of the things that can drive us batty throughout the days have a positive side to them. My kids love to play outside, they are constantly being fed healthy, juicy fruits for snacks. They both love to race Hot Wheels across the room. They are very well-fed kids (just check my pantry, 2 refridgerators and freezer). And the best thing - they love their mom! How can those be bad things?

So instead of being frustrated that my kids are kids. I'm sitting back and learning not to sweat the small stuff. When my boys grow up, I want them to remember that they were well taken care of, they were important and that I was available and loved them.

Life happens. Messes are the result. Just clean up as you go with a smile, grateful for each day God has given you to enjoy your kids as they are kids...and enjoy being a mom.