Our Day By Day

Life's Blessings Are Found In Our Day By Day

I often find myself harping and nagging at my kids to "pick up" their stuff!  PICK IT UP!  I am raising the future MEN of this world.  And even though I am a Mama and wife who tries to do it all for my kids and husband to make their lives easier, I find myself realizing whoever marries my sons will not appreciate them being so spoiled.  I mean, a man and/or a woman should be able to take care of themselves on their own.  Being domesticated is one of the most important things in life...it's being free of relying on anyone else for your everyday needs.  Plus, the last time I checked my name wasn't Cinderella.  I don't own ball gowns, I don't have a fairy-god mother, I don't wear glass slippers.  However, I do wear old worn clothes and scrub floors (literally).  I need them to be able to stand on their own two feet and survive in this world.  My way of thinking is to get them trained and then they will marry a WONDERFUL, amazing person...and they will spoil one another!  

Each morning, afternoon, and night are all the same routines...but somehow they just can't seem to remember that.  Things to do in the morning:  Get up, eat, wash your face, brush your teeth, do your hair, get dressed.  Things to do in the afternoon after school:  put your shoes and book-bag away, wash your hands (no school germs allowed in this house), eat, relax, make beds and straighten room, do homework.  Things to do at night:  Shower, brush teeth, go to bed.  Those are the SAME things they do every.single.day!!!!  Yet, I still have to tell them.  It isn't a huge list, right??  It can be exhausting being a nag, it really can!  I mean, I used to be a lot worse, so they really have it good.  

Before Jaxon was born I was VERY obsessive about things.  My house was always clean, clean, clean.  I would exhaust myself with cleaning and straightening.  I owe that to my Daddy.  He is very particular AND a germaphobe.  I mean, like wiping the kitchen sink out with a paper towel after each use because -we don't want any spots in that sink, do we??  Getting the tiny brush out to dust in between the cracks in their Victorian scrolled furniture.  Sweeping the bathroom rugs after you walk on them - no foot prints allowed!  We couldn't even leave ANYTHING out of place if we went out to eat - we don't want a burglar or the fire department to think we are messy if, indeed, and God-forbid, someone broke in or the house caught fire.  Those are just a few little things...and really, to hear him tell it, I really did numbers to their house...and probably flared up that O.C.D good for him! ha!  SO, after being around that I was scared someone might just drop by for a visit in my own home and actually think we lived there, that in fact, it wasn't a museum!  After Jaxon, it came to a halt and I also came to my senses...through exhaustion!   After tucking them in one night and seeing the mess that was left for me to clean up...I thought to myself, "will this be here tomorrow?"  YES, yes it will.  At that very moment I came way down to a level of sanity.  Get over it, we live here, we love here, we're making memories and raising kids.  That was that, even though I kept a clean house...I wasn't freaking out (as bad).  

Of course, since we moved here...our house is in a "project" zone ALL OF THE TIME!  I get over it, then I get hyped up about it again...depending on my mood.  But one thing I have learned - it is my mess, my life, my family.  And though we aren't perfect, we are loved by one another and we are with one another...and THAT is what matters!  Those little things that my kids "forget"...well, I will miss those one day!  I will want to have them here to make messes, forget their lunch, forget that they needed to bring the trash can up, forget what I said.  I mean, what the heck will I do when I am not being Mama?!?!  Nothing!  It is because of them I am no longer existing in this life, but living!  I thank God for those little boogers everyday.  Ya know, if truth be told, I like the messes.  It is a reminder of my blessings, my duties as their Mama, and the fact that they are still young.  I have them here with me, and that is enough.  After being upset with them for things, my weakest moments are when they are not with me.  After I tuck them into bed or I drop them at school.  In my alone time, I think, "oh I shouldn't have been so rough on them"...and then my heart breaks. (This is usually when I get back up and go tuck them in again and kiss them...or can't wait until school is out so I can tell them a hundred times in the car that I love them...and they look at me like, goodness how many times are you going to tell us that?  FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES!!) Those moments I am reminded that even though the lesson was probably learned (or not)...I am so grateful to have them in my life...even when the shoes are thrown into piles, even when the bathroom looks like a bomb went off in it, even when legos are all over the floor...it doesn't matter.  Those shoes, those towels slung over the holder, streamers hung from doors and ceiling fans, those balls left laying around...those are all my sweet memories that my babies are making! I have to step out of the prison warden roll and remind myself of how the day to day is actually my greatest blessings!  

If you have babies, cherish each moment with them.  They will look back on these same memories.  Make sure you're giving them good ones, full of love!  And let them be messy sometimes...it's good for everyone!  It makes great memories...I have the sweet pictures to prove it! :)

~Dee