Tuesday we were preparing for homeschool group. I looked at my 4 year old and saw white undershirt (his favorite shirt lately) and knew it was stained, but figured oh well. Then I saw blue jeans and cowboy boots. Okay, that'll do, I thought. Arrive at homeschool group and take a closer look. Cowboy boots are wearing out in one toe ... oops! Blue jeans have a hole in the knee ... double oops! Tshirt is not only stained, but has several small pinholes in the front of it ... triple oops! Oh well, at that point there wasn't anything I could do about it. So, my ragmuffin and I attended homeschool group, and patronized the library before going home.
Wednesday, he was in a MOOD ... and not a good one. I knew before we left for church that he was not going to be obedient enough to go to his class. I'd need to keep him with me. What I didn't know was how miserable that hour sitting in the car was going to be. (I had intended to take him, 2 yo L, and baby G to an empty room ... but he fought against that.) Then we arrived home and more tantrums over bedtime snack arose. He's determined to learn the hard way that Mommy means what she says ... and to make us all miserable in the meantime.
Then, he was awake twice in the night, whining and fussing. Plus the 2 yo woke up once in the night. And Baby G decided to live up to his nickname twice ... Mister Grunt ... so I had to take him out to the living room to rock him to sleep where his grunts wouldn't wake up Steve or 2 yo L.
It wasn't a restful night, and I was not a pleasant Mommy with the whining 4 yo at 1:30 and 3:30. And I laid there thinking some not so nice thoughts about my dear hardworking husband who had gone to bed at 10 pm because he didn't feel well. He kept asking me to take his temperature to see if he had a fever, which he didn't. I'm sure I'm not the first wife to sit and think some of those thoughts in similar circumstances.
At least things look better by the light of the day, after some coffee and iced tea. But by evening, I'll be dragging, living on caffeine and chocolate.
This too shall pass, right?
And just to encourage me, and anyone else who has had a week like mine with a 4 yo, I'm posting some of my favorite encouraging quotes.
"The most important occupation on earth for a woman is to be a real mother to her children. It does not have much glory to it; there is a lot of grit & grime. But there is no greater place of ministry, position, or power than that of a mother." – Phil Whisenhunt
“Bricks and mortar make a house, but the laughter of children makes a home” – Irish Blessing
“The most important work you and I will ever do will be within the walls of our own homes.” – Harold B. Lee (1899-1973)
"Homegrown children take a lot of hard work -- and sometimes "it ain't pretty." Other times, it's breathtaking." ~~ Passionate Housewives Desperate For God, pg. 21
“Biblical motherhood means sacrifice, selfless love, and faithful dedication. It means we’re there with our families – body, mind, and spirit.” ~~ Passionate Housewives Desperate For God, pg. 21
“What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow.” ~~ Martin Luther
At least their hugs and kisses and sweet smiles this morning help me forget the frustration of the night before. I know God makes them cute for their own self-preservation. They're easy to forgive, and fatigued Mommy brains forget quickly, too.
I enjoyed the quotes that you posted.
I always like to sing,
Settle down cobwebs,
Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby,
And babies don't keep.
I wish I could remember the rest!
Have a great day.
Candy
Untitled Comment
Posted by gilsanla on 2008-Oct-9 at 12:11 PM - Link
Why is it little boys always have holes in the knees of their pants. My sister-in-law has to keep an eye on my nephew who is seven or he would have holes in every pair of pant he owns.
She keeps his dress pants put away and makes him change out of them when he gets home, but even so, he has managed to get holes in some of them too. The boy just like to play on the floor, the parking lot ground, wherever.
She's even bought some with double knees and he put those out.
I know what you mean. Our almost three year old sounds exactly the same. And last night my hubby didn't feel good, I wanted to sew but he wanted to be babyed! UGH! Oh well, it is a blessing to have my family even if they all are little stinkers.
Christy
We are a Christian homeschooling family with 7 children (ages 13, 12, 10, 8, 5, 3, and 9 months). We love having "room to breathe" in rural Central Kansas, and are working to make the "family homeplace" our own home.
• Steve 36 yo hubby
• April 35 yo SAHM
• A - 13 yo girl
• R - 12 yo girl
• C - 10 yo girl
• J - 8 yo boy
• M - 5 yo boy
• L - 3 yo girl
• G - 8 month boy
