parenting Archives - Page 16 of 20

The Post Office

February 10, 2010 jennifer Musings on Life and Beauty

Today I took three children to the post office.

In doing so, I violated one of my top 5 rules as a mother. Rule #3: Never take children to the post office.

I think I violated two of them, actually. Number 4 is to avoid the post office altogether, if possible. Why?
1. Because I have children.
2. Because I have a healthy sense of respect for my own time.

Oh well. It was all for a good cause: to mail my grandma’s birthday present. (She turned 80 YESTERDAY! At least I called her on her birthday and had a great visit with her.) If there is ONE thing that stands in the way of me meeting deadlines, it is the dread I feel at the very THOUGHT of entering the post office.

So today I did it, and I met my annual quota for maximum number of visits to the post office. That would be ONE. I know I should get over this, but every time I go there is something that merely reinforces my bad attitude about the experience. Today it was the free counseling session that the postal worker was providing to a gentleman who couldn’t decide what envelope to buy, and he didn’t even have what he wanted to mail with him! This seven minute long display of public indecisiveness (I was watching the clock they so kindly provide for you to count how many precious minutes of your life are wasted in their line) was witnessed by a long line of customers who had long before decided which envelope to use, and even which packing tape worked best, and which address to write! Ugh!

Have you ever noticed how quiet it is in the post office? It’s like this sense of dreariness just settles when you walk through the door. Well, today my two year old noticed how quiet it was, and used that quiet for her personal entertainment.

You see, the child who loves to walk on tippy toes around the house was wearing her squeaky shoes (shoes that have a little squeaker toy in the sole so it squeaks with every step they take). It didn’t take long for her to figure out that she had a captive audience. She began dancing and hopping and jumping and then she burst out into laughter. I mean, who wouldn’t? She had this huge room full of silent adults, and she was making ALL of the noise!

Soon her three year old brother just couldn’t resist. He was only wearing snow boots (I think it’s his expression of faith that it might snow?) but he made sure that his moves made up for lack of noise. He threw in some arms and some hips and danced right along side her.

And you know what I did? Nothing. They weren’t hurting anyone, and there were more smiles in that dreary post office than I’ve seen in all my previous visits combined. I figured if it bothered the postal workers, that was fine, because the only way to get rid of me was to hurry up and help me. Which, eventually, they did.

When at last we left and I had chased the three year old around the pillars a few times to get him in the car, I realized that I wasn’t as grumpy as I expected to be. The dancing had made me smile, too. Perhaps I should revise my rules a little. Or not.

Monday Morning Messes

February 1, 2010 jennifer Musings on Life and Beauty

Does your house look like this on Monday mornings?

Sometimes I’m amazed at how much recovery my house needs after the weekend. But then, sometimes it needs it every 2 hours. Toys, shoes, socks, games, castoff items from school backpacks…

Whenever my house looks like this, I try to remember a quote I read as a new mom many years ago. It’s lengthy, but worth reading. Let me share:

“Trying to look at clutter with more spiritual eyes taught me two things. First, I tried to understand the nature of clutter itself — what does clutter represent? What things do we regard as clutter? Toys played with and not put away, dirty dishes to be washed, coats not hung up, books read and not put away. Toys, dishes, clothes, books; children, food, warmth, intelligence. Clutter is a by-product of life being lived. Clutter is a mirror reflecting some of our sweetest blessings. Go ahead — look at this mess. Look at this beautiful, wonderful mess. Thank you, Lord. Now let’s tidy up.

“The second thing I learned about clutter is what it is not. Unlike the spiritual qualities of purity, order, and beauty, clutter is temporal. The word temporal is closely related to another word: temporary. Clutter and dirt are temporary. Order, purity, and beauty are permanent. Always there. Always to be found. Sometimes quite buried but there nonetheless. Pick up and wash, and there they are. They were there all along. As spiritual principles, order, purity, and beauty are not only true, but they are also attributes of God himself and of the god-nature within us. As we pick up the clutter, wipe away the dirt, and beautify our homes, we are allowing those attributes freer expression. When we clean, order, and beautify our homes, we bless our homes, and our work becomes a holy work, a work that can feed our spirits and sustain our souls.”

– Joan B. MacDonald, from The Holiness of Everyday Life, Deseret Book Company, 1995, p.20-21 My wish for you this morning and every morning: May your spirit be fed as you take care of the evidence of your greatest blessings: family.

Have a great day!

Jennifer

3 comments parenting

Dumping

January 29, 2010 jennifer Musings on Life and Beauty

I guess it’s been one of those weeks. You know, the kind when although you can name at least three specific times when it was sunny, it still feels like it’s been gray all week. So I’m giving myself permission to record 5 complaints and then I’m going to take a deep breath and move on (meaning, clean the house, or the kitchen at least).

1. I’m not yet accustomed to what it means to have a bunch of almost teen-aged boys in my house. I’m not used to the noise, the food, the mess. I’ve got to figure this one out, but right now all it does is give me a headache. Today when I offered some food to them to eat, I discovered later that they had just eaten the top layer off the ENTIRE pan! Seriously?! And then I thought of President Hinckley and how he said to just look the other way, so I did. It’s still sitting there. So are the dishes they left all over the place.

2. I feel like I’ve been quilting my Rouenneries quilt… FOR. EVER. I decided to do a diamond quilt pattern on it, and it’s so full of flaws that I don’t know whether to cry at how imperfect it is, or to cry that it’s still not done.

3. I should remember that the days when I want most to enjoy a bit of quiet, or a small space of cleanliness and beauty, will be the days when it is loudest and messiest. Especially when you’re potty training a cute little boy. You never know what sorts of things will happen. We’ll just say they’ve been happening.

4. Much as you love your children, is it OK to have times when you’re just not sure you can handle being in the same building with them? I have one particular child who screams more than the other 7 put together. Sometimes screaming children are more frustrating than other times, even when I know that the variable that changed is my tolerance level, not the screaming level. But if I do go deaf early, I’ll know whose lungs caused it.

5. I’ve said this a million times before, but I’ll say it again. I really, really, really look forward to having my Heavenly Father explain to me someday why my hormone levels had to be so closely connected to my emotions. In particular, I’d like to know why my body is wired for postpartum blues that last much longer than normal. Sometimes I feel like I really need to understand it NOW, but mostly I’m resigned to understanding it someday when it probably won’t seem so important to me. For now, though, I’m a little tired of days when you know that nothing out of the ordinary is wrong, yet you feel like crying or hiding or running away or some combination of the three.

OK. I just dumped my 5 negative things. I’m done. Move on. Life is good. It’s the weekend, right?!? Hope yours is a good one.