summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

april showers bring may flowers...

and Mayflowers bring pilgrims. But do May showers bring? It is rainy rainy rainy. I kind of like it, of course, being the kind of girl who would rather snuggle up inside and eat cookies. But, since I no longer eat cookies, and have to leave in a few minutes to bring Mali to a dr. appointment, blah.

Weekly weigh-in: Loss of one and a half pounds. Not the twenty pounds I was hoping for, which would equal the suffering I did, but I will take it.

Sometimes I get sick and tired of my Thankless Job. I told the kids this morning that I am going On Strike. They didn't care, they know I won't. See, Paul and I left for the band concert last evening after dinner...we left with some of the little ones. A few of the girls were at Susan's, but lots of kids were here. Long story short, when we got home, the dinner was still out. I was not thrilled to see that, it was 8 o'clock, and time to wind down, not wash up. blah. I put some of it away, but I think there are some kids here who need to wash those pans and dishes. I do not want to start a Third World War, but I am going to put my foot down. One nice teenager said to me this morning, "Sorry about the mess, Mom." I told her not to worry about it, it will be waiting for her when she gets home. I hate being like that, but sometimes it is necessary.

Being home all day, I think my job is to make this place peaceful, livable, nice. But I can't do that all alone. It is not good for them if I do! I understand they have homework, and like to exercise and have some down-time. But.

Anyway, in all these things I find the irritation and complaining and RRR in me, which doesn't feel so good, but it IS good. It is good to see it, acknowledge it, and ask God for help.

Anne Shirley, of, "Anne Of Green Gables", once asked her best friend Diana something like, "What would you rather be, ravishingly beautiful or really smart?" I would rather be ravishingly beautiful. Even just for one day, to see what it is like. To have my husband come in from work and be SO impressed with me...and perhaps that day I would manage to get the house totally spotless...and have a wonderfully healthy and delicious dinner on the table. And the dog would be all bathed and fragrant and well-behaved. People would drop in and remark how clean the house is, and the teenagers would be proud. I, of course, would be feeling invigorated from my five mile run, accomplished with absolutely no flapping noises, since in this daydream, I am seriously thin. Too thin, so I must make up for it with a stack of oatmeal cookies. Okay, I went from Ravishingly Beautiful to Supermom to ridiculous.

And, time to go.

2 comments:

Karil said...

hahah, great post! I look at having my daughter help around the house as teaching her to be well-rounded. Not to say that it isn't pulling teeth at times to get her to pitch-in

Joni said...

Oh, I love your 'If Only I Could Be .... For A Day'!! You do write so well!