It didn't start off ideally -- I had to teach the lesson in Relief Society at church. It was on Prayer...not too tough, but still I spent half the morning stressing about it. Eric and the kids did make me my favorite breakfast -- waffles!
After church we came home and took some pictures. Mason had a new suit since he just turned 12 and will be passing the sacrament at church. Colby found Mason's old suit coat (from when he turned 8 and got baptized) and it fits him already. The girls both had new "almost matching" dresses from a super deal at JCPenny's -- so I decided I needed some pictures. Mason was NOT happy. He had run home from church and was already in his comfy clothes. It was a battle to get him back in his suit, but I pulled out the "do it for your mother on Mother's Day" card. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
The lighting was bad (too much shadow), my camera is bad (it now keeps shutting off while trying to take pictures), and the photographer was Eric (who takes one picture and calls it good). But I love my kids so I love the pictures!
Sweet Sisters!
There was a picture of the boys. Really. But lately, my camera doesn't always TAKE the pictures that you think it is taking. I watched Eric take a picture of Colby and a picture of Mason -- each separately. But neither picture was on the camera when I went to unload the pictures. Weird, huh!!
My Four Kiddos
We spent the rest of the day relaxing. Eric & the kids made dinner. Yummy. I wish I could say it was a day of peace and no fighting....now that would have been perfect. But it was real life.
We ended up the day by watching old home videos of the kids as babies/toddlers. We skipped around on the DVD's until we found each of them around age 1 1/2 - 2 years old. It was so fun to see each of them at the "just learning to talk" stage as they sang their ABC's or counted to 10 for the camera. How fast they grow.
One final story to share. Yesterday (so the day after mother's day) Renae and I were in the car together. We had the following conversation (recreated from my memory):
Renae: I don't know if I could ever be a mother.
Me: Why?
R: It is so much work! The cooking, the cleaning, the stress, the kids!
M: Yes, it is a lot of work. But it is worth it. It is the most important thing you could ever do.
R: Yeah, maybe. But I don't know if I can work that hard.
We then went on to talk about other related topics: working hard at jobs, finding a husband who helps with kids, changing diapers, etc.
I wish I had said something profound like "Everything worth having in life is hard work. Education, relationships, jobs, family." But I didn't.
I hope I expressed to her that motherhood truly is worth every exhausting, icky, sticky, sweet, beautiful, precious minute. Every last minute!!!!
5 comments:
Those are cute pictures! But your camera sounds like a pain in the butt!
My girls have said stuff like that before, like they are afraid to be a mom, or have a baby because it will hurt or something. It kind of freaks me out and I feel like I have to talk them into a commitment to be a mom. Or I wonder, do I make it look that bad? I mean, I know I complain a lot, so am I ruining their chances to look forward to motherhood? Then I remember that I wasn't too set on the idea of motherhood or even getting married until I grew up a lot and fell in love. So hopefully they will be okay. But it is good to take those moments to point out what's good about being a mom too!
The all look so grown up, especially the boys in the suits! John is the same way with picture taking.... drives me crazy but it must be a male thing.
Motherhood is a lot of work, but I think Rach is right as you grow up it becomes more appealing. Can't wait to get Sadie's dress ;) They all look so cute!
There are stages. Little girls like to play mommy with their babies. Then they start to look at the reality of what the tough parts look like. Then they start to babysit, and then fall in love, and they come around to the longing to be a mother. That usually doesn't get strong until after you're married awhile. But it is always good to show and tell them that you love being a mother. I love being a mother and now the bonus....a grandmother!
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