I have been feeling frustrated with motherhood lately and my inability to do everything for my children that I feel I should do. I then read a book titled One Tough Mother by Julie Barnhill. I really enjoyed her humor and insights. She devotes one chapter to letting our children just be ordinary and not trying to make them something extrodianary.
As mothers we can "stand up...and refocus our time and energy to raising and discovering the wonderfully ordinary children living in our homes.
"I believe we will find it impossible not to see the wonder and glory wrapped up in each of our ordinary lives."
"The sacred resides in the ordinary, in...
a child's laugh,
the pull of a brush through a daughter's hair
a well-hit ball off a T-ball stand,
the aroma of a baby's freshly washed nape,
the sputtering sound of frying bacon,
a wave of the ocean determinedly followed by another and another,
a toddler's squeal of delight,
a daughter dancing on her father's shoes,
the scent of sweaty boys roughhousing in a family room,
languorous conversations with a teenage daughter after curfew has been met,
grandparents bragging on thier grandchild,
grandchildren napping beside thier Papa,
the repeated bedtime story refrain, "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always...,"
blueberry buckle stains on a freshly laundered bib,
a three-year old hiding in a kitchen cabinet,
the slobbery wide-open kiss of a nine-month-old,
the pale sheen of a newborn's fingernails,
a student council campaign speech proudly composed and confidently delivered by a sixth-grade son before a student body,
bathtub rings proving a six-year-old's day spent playing outside,
damp footprints on ancient pine flooring,
hand after hand of Go Fish and Old Maid,
beater blades licked clean of batter,
a nerve-racking first piano recital conquered,
a nursing babe's arms outstretched toward his mother's smiling face,
"big boy" underware,
teenage sons renting their first tuxedos,
teenage daughters applying liquid eyeliner,
husbands making love to their wives,
and One Tough Mother delighting in her gloriously ordinary child.
Julie Barnhill
One Tough Mother
I'll add a few of my favorites to the list -
a stack of freshely laundered white towels in the bathroom,
a well made bed,
laughter around the dinner table,
a childs first prayer,
a family gathered to read from the scriptures,
a sweet bearing of testimony,
hands held tightly,
a quiet moment of peace,
a sleeping child,
a true expression of love.
I love reading the blog entries of family and friends and can see that each of our ordinary lives are not boring, but absolutely wonderful, filled with humor and love. Keep up the day to day good work!
10 comments:
Paige,
Thanks for posting this. It made me cry, of course. It was a beautiful post and the best part is that we all have frustrating moments and it is so great to know that we aren't alone. It was great to read your words. I am going to think about the simple joys you listed. It reminded me of everything good about being a mom. I love it! Thank you.
Paige, wow, thanks for the quote and your great insight into motherhood as well, it helped remind me that their is great meaning in the little things we do everyday!
You are a great mother! thanks for sharing. It's all so true.
What a great post. I really think reading each other's blogs make me a better mom. Seeing all of you stop and smell the roses, reminds me to do the same. You do a wonderful job! You family is darling!
Thank you Paige. I loved this post so much. It is true what you said about reading everyone's blogs and thinking so highly of the things they do. Sometimes we forget the things we do everyday are great too!
Paige-
Your post made me cry! Thank you for the reminder of the simple daily things. I know, for me, it's so hard to remember that the day in day out things make up our life and should be appreciated. Thanks for reminding me how wonderful a blessing it is to a be a mom!
Oh Paige, I love you! You are a fabulous mother. I need to read that book! I kind of like the idea of being ordinary!
Paige, you are a great mom. I love your post.
Thanks Paige, you are such a wonderful mother. I always have admired you and want to be more like you! You do such wonderful thing, so thanks for inspiring.
I have fully embraced the ordinary! I just thought I was being lazy though. Glad to be reminded that the extraordinary is found in the ordinary day-to-day family life. Thanks for your timely post.
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