In April 2012 General Conference Elder Baxter of the Seventy gave a talk titled "Faith, Fortitude, and Fulfillment: A Message to Single Parents" then the fourth Sunday of July I gave a Relief Society lesson on that talk. I still don't know that I'd call it a lesson exactly but I stood up and cried my way through. Each day for a month I read the talk, often out loud so that I could just maybe get my way through it with minimal tears -- that didn't work. The passage that hit me the most was originally told by President Hinckley in September of 2006 from a single mom who had just delivered something to her neighbors across the street.
All the while I kept hearing about the Halloween costumes that aren't ready yet. In my defense, Kaede and Michael have been constantly changing their minds. {I don't know that would have changed much if they had} pumpkins that aren't carved {and we wouldn't even have them if it wasn't for great neighbors} That book reports were due today and Kaede has lost her rubric for it {ahhh, can't forget to email about that tonight} homework to make up from all of them from going hunting with their Dad and missing school on Friday {I'm glad they went, I'm glad they went, I'm glad they went} Let's not forget the dose of self guilt on the side for a dinner of Mac 'n Cheese {and it's not like I've been making wonderful meals other days either -- I've been working}, laundry not done {but, I kept my promise and haven't wash/dried without folding}, a sink full of dishes {they keep rotating, it's a fluid hot spot not a stagnant one}, bathroom that has gone unscrubbed. To top it off, I spent an evening I could have spend doing housework painting my new wall and I've been considering expanding my social life {go ahead, laugh I understand} and that simultaneously makes me excited and nervous but that's a post for another day or perhaps even a conversation.
How does it all ever get done? I can't not sleep, too many consequences for me when I don't -- night shift with sleep is hard enough. I'm grateful when I go to work because leaving home stresses at home is required for me to be able to focus on my patients' and their needs. It's a shelter from my storm.
It feels like it's been a long time since we've had a normal schedule with the kids and skipping the details the back and forth just sucks and I don't like it. No, there isn't anything I can do about it.
Chin up Buttercup, everything will be as it is suppose to be.
The first time I read this {and many times since} I pictured myself walking back across the street towards my own house full of kids with needs that I was certain I could never fill. Today is one of those days. It was a gorgeous fall day, I took the extra time to walk Kaede home from school, and then this evening we sat outside for a while went for a walk around the block and visited with a neighbor while Michael went out with Friends of Scouting. I had hoped for some quiet thought collecting time.“As I turned around to walk back home, I could see my house lighted up. I could hear echoes of my children as I had walked out of the door a few minutes earlier. They were saying: ‘Mom, what are we going to have for dinner?’ ‘Can you take me to the library?’ ‘I have to get some poster paper tonight.’ Tired and weary, I looked at that house and saw the light on in each of the rooms. I thought of all of those children who were home waiting for me to come and meet their needs. My burdens felt heavier than I could bear.“I remember looking through tears toward the sky, and I said, ‘Dear Father, I just can’t do it tonight. I’m too tired. I can’t face it. I can’t go home and take care of all those children alone. Could I just come to You and stay with You for just one night? …’“I didn’t really hear the words of reply, but I heard them in my mind. The answer was: ‘No, little one, you can’t come to me now. … But I can come to you.’”2
All the while I kept hearing about the Halloween costumes that aren't ready yet. In my defense, Kaede and Michael have been constantly changing their minds. {I don't know that would have changed much if they had} pumpkins that aren't carved {and we wouldn't even have them if it wasn't for great neighbors} That book reports were due today and Kaede has lost her rubric for it {ahhh, can't forget to email about that tonight} homework to make up from all of them from going hunting with their Dad and missing school on Friday {I'm glad they went, I'm glad they went, I'm glad they went} Let's not forget the dose of self guilt on the side for a dinner of Mac 'n Cheese {and it's not like I've been making wonderful meals other days either -- I've been working}, laundry not done {but, I kept my promise and haven't wash/dried without folding}, a sink full of dishes {they keep rotating, it's a fluid hot spot not a stagnant one}, bathroom that has gone unscrubbed. To top it off, I spent an evening I could have spend doing housework painting my new wall and I've been considering expanding my social life {go ahead, laugh I understand} and that simultaneously makes me excited and nervous but that's a post for another day or perhaps even a conversation.
How does it all ever get done? I can't not sleep, too many consequences for me when I don't -- night shift with sleep is hard enough. I'm grateful when I go to work because leaving home stresses at home is required for me to be able to focus on my patients' and their needs. It's a shelter from my storm.
It feels like it's been a long time since we've had a normal schedule with the kids and skipping the details the back and forth just sucks and I don't like it. No, there isn't anything I can do about it.
Chin up Buttercup, everything will be as it is suppose to be.
No comments:
Post a Comment