Father is gone this week to the diocesan assembly in Chattanooga. The children (the older ones, anyhow) have been very helpful and I do depend on them. Some deadliny things have had to get done over the last two days and thankfully they’re done.
When taking a deep breath this afternoon I mentally went over the ongoing list of things that need to be attended to, not immediately, but relatively soon. It was dismaying because more things tend to get added to the list than are completed. It’s time to do another master list on paper because the mental list has outgrown my ability to keep track of it.
Some ongoing projects have been completely shelved the last several weeks and need attending to. Some have been shelved for a few months, sigh. Working on illustrations for the children’s story, for instance. I decided I need to better divide my time: an hour each day for illustrating, an hour for reading books I need to review, an hour daily to build up a stock of toy censers…
Then I remembered: I have seven children!! What am I thinking?! They have to be fed and clothed and taken to the dentist and taken to the library, and changed and bathed, and taken to church, and read to, and the laundry and cleaning doesn’t considerately do itself (yes, the girls do their own – a big help), and fights broken up, and HOMESCHOOL (mercy, that has fallen down lately), and this child needs glasses and that one needs jeans…
It’s overwhelming. Of course, if you let on to most people about any of this you get the, “you’re the idiot who had all the children” response, even if it’s not in so many words. Mothers of many know whereof I speak.
So this isn’t exactly a complaint, more of a putting my head above the water to gasp for air before heading back down. It’s nearly supper time and I’ve got to go make French toast for the mermaids now. 🙂
Praying With My Feet 
I can see that Mom’s often have to put their own personal list on wait to be there for their kids, etc. I know it is not easy but do one thing at a time, keep the list (so helpful for sanity) and ‘do the thing in front of you’ as Fr M says, right? HUG to you!
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Yep, there’s always the thing right in front of me!
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I think your as brave as a warrior to allow God to grant you as many children as He wills! It’s tragic that our society is at the stage that it looks down its nose at mothers of many children… the greatest and most valuable members our societies have ever had!
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Thank you. I love how the Russian government gives awards to families for having 7 or more children (by birth OR adoption, which is wonderful). They call it the “order of parental glory.”
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And may I add that Fr. John is also at the archdiocesan council in Edmonton, Alberta and I (just me, myself) can barely get out the door to work in the mornings without his assistance. (I have to make my own coffee?!?!). I can’t imagine taking care of myself and seven children!
Yikes… I’m literally running late now. Gotta go!
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Hahahaha! I have to have the coffee ready to go the night before or it’s a tragedy in the morning.
The people I really feel for are the ones who go from no children to multiple children overnight, through birth or adoption! At least most of us get used to it one at a time. (I had 17 years to get used to up to 6 before adding 7.)
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I would like to add that there is nothing better than offering and taking care of other people , especially children who pay you with their love . I turn home tired from job, I` m not in mood and when my little daughter hugs me I feel better.
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The rewards are great. ❤️
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