Life of a Mama in her Yoga Pants

I want to start this off by saying I absolutely love my life and don't want it to get misconstrued with how hard being a stay at home Mom is.  I would never (Ok maybe some days) change my life for anything.  I get to raise, shape, kiss, see milestones, hug, hold, discipline, teach, teach them about our Savior, clean the children I (we) brought into this world.  

Summer with my babies

Over the years I feel like so much honor has been lost for the homemaker. There is this idea that stay at home Mom's get to stay home and the children are raising themselves.  Or the comments "Ooo now two are in school, what are you going to do now only having two home". Funny right?  Only having two home,bah! They are the toughest two!  My third born is like ten kids, if not more, in one little person.  Or the "Your husband must make a lot of money".  For most families that have a stay at home Mom, often times, money is tight.  You have to budget and budget well because you are living on one income. It's a sacrifice and one very well worth it and I don't think will ever be regretted!  

When I survive a day, or get the kids out of the house for school without any grumbling, lunches packed, everyone happy....I want to high five myself and treat myself with a yummy coffee. I feel like I "deserve" it.  In reality I probably do ( I do), but I have to reel it in. Being home requires sacrifice.  Whether it be, no cable, no shopping, no hair appts, no extra curricular, etc. Every family has their guidelines in place and for an important reason.  Not just to assure there is no over spending, but to allow for the parent to raise the children.

How many other jobs require so much of someone in such a vast array of requirements.  Laundry, dishes, floors, picking up toys, cleaning bathrooms,  bandage bumps and bruises while consoling and comforting,colds, sanitize the house after explosive diapers or accidents and stomach bugs, clean the house (all day long, over and over), keep track of schedules, doctor/dentist appointments, park or sport outings, teach kids and help with homework, keep children alive and fed well, grocery shop. It's so hard as a stay at home mom to not get consumed by house work, at least for me it is.  I wish I could be a Mama that can sit and entertain my children all day long and not focus on the "work". But, the dishes have flashing neon lights above them, the laundry is screaming your name, the toilets and floors are shaking. It's an endless cycle. 

My kitchen sink this morning...it doesn't look bad but it's deep!

Folded five loads of laundry, with another in the washer and dryer...and that front pile not so organized because sweet Nathan kept running into it. Hi Violet!

Not to mention...we truly NEVER get a break.  To even get my teeth cleaned, I have to involve other people to help me with my children. Or Dr.s appointments, OBGYN, kids are in tow. Sick time? Nope. Lunch break? Nope. Bathroom break? Nope. Car rides? haha no no.  Although I do love the van because my kiddies are restrained :)  Keeping it real!   My mind is constantly stimulated with no down time.  The moment the kids go to bed, it's wife time.  I'm exhausted but I am still a wife to my husband and I was a wife before I was a mother.   As hard, HARD, as it can be after grueling days, we need to stay connected with our husbands.  Our children won't always be there and staying connected and in love with your spouse, is HUGE!  (I'm preaching to myself here too!)

There are definitely moments where I take my life for granted.  It's sad but true.  The moments where my child touches the iron, or my hair gets pulled for the millionth time. I get bit while nursing. The bathroom gets flooded into the hallway, leaks to the downstairs and we have to repair the ceiling.  Countless behavior corrections, usually for the same offense. Over and Over and Over.  Sibling quarreling.  Oh.the.quarreling.  I go from sun up to sun down Mondays and Wednesdays solo and it's tough!  You sometimes just want to scream into a pillow.  I see pictures of my friends getting their hair done and I think "Maybe I should do something to my hair?".  

I get to soak and love moments such as this

Take time for myself?  I truly do not take time for myself and I know that I should.  I do know that I should.  But, that would require me leaving my husband with our four children.  He is more than capable, but my wife heart feels guilty because he's at work all day too.  Would be different if he were golfing 18 holes, but he's at work too and has stressors of his own and being the head of our household.  Maybe something I need to get over? Perhaps over time :) 

I'll leave you with this.

I truly know this is where the Lord has me and is my calling...but it's hard! Very hard.  But I am forever blessed by my days through all the ups and downs, the JOY shines through right when I need it most!