My Work as a Mother

It was a good, full day of homemaking and mothering. After a tip from a friend and my mother-in-law, I've decided to try doing all of the laundry just one day a week rather than a little bit every day or two. Today I stayed home and ran the washer and dryer from 7 am to 10 pm. The final load is still spinning in the dryer. I washed everyone's sheets, Oliver's blankets, and all of the dirty clothes and towels. In between loads I made the kids breakfast: hot chocolate and toast that I had promised them the night before. Read my scriptures, packed Ellie's lunch, talked to my mother in law, and got myself and the kids (except Lorenzo- he was in pajamas the entire day) ready for the day. We took Ellie to school and dropped Lorenzo off at a friend's to play. I folded laundry, called the doctor, made a Valentine's day bunting for the fire place, and vacuumed the upstairs. Picked up Lorenzo and brought a friend home with him to play. Snacks for the boys, more laundry, and lunch. Picked up toys, started pizza dough for dinner, and greeted Ellie and her friend home from school. Put clean sheets back on the bed, layed down for a couple minutes, talked to BJ, helped Ellie with sight words, ate dinner, had Family Home Evening, said family prayer, danced in the kitchen and ate ice cream bars, bathed the kids, brushed teeth (for Lorenzo's first time today), read Little House On the Prairie, put the kids down. Looked at my phone for a minute, folded clothes while watching Barefoot Contessa, cleaned up the kitchen while listening to Heaven Is Here, and put the house to bed. All throughout the day I held Oliver, fed Oliver, changed Oliver, made Oliver smile, and put him down for naps. I held Lorenzo when he had a hard moment and I hugged Ellie when her umbrella broke. Now I'm sitting in bed talking to BJ, listening to Oliver and Jovi sleeping, and feeling the best kind of tired. There is so much to do to run this house and keep this family healthy and happy and thriving. It is the best kind of work I've ever done. It is a work that is constant and steady and unrelenting, yet ennobling, important, and gratifying. I love the feeling I have of bringing something that is pure and good and holy into this world. That is the feeling I have when I am about my business as a mother. Sure it is exhausting, and daunting and never-ending, but being the safe place that my children and husband get to come home to is so satisfying. Today I came across this line: "In raising my children I have lost my mind and gained my soul." That is truth.

(Artwork by one of my favorite artists Brian Kershisnik )