I'm here...really....I haven't left you, nor forsaken you...

Hello fellow bloggers! No, I have not been whisked away to a far off tropical place, nor have I been taken hostage by my children, well, in a way, I guess they kind of do that don't they, but I have just been busy as a little bee.

I had a sort of epiphany. In trying to educate my eldest little birdie, I came to the realization that I was semi-neglecting my 2 younger babies. By semi-neglect, I mean that all of their basic needs were being met (such as food, milk, juice, cleaning behind the ears, fashionable hairdos and outfits, medications, etc.) but that I wasn't holding them, or playing with them, or reading to them enough. So, I decided to take a few days and just be a kid with them. Of course, the motherly and wifely duties still had to be addressed, but I wanted to take lots of time to just love on them and let them know that they are important and precious. We have had so much fun. We have crafted (well, yes, they are MY children...so we must craft...), colored, played on the swingset and just sat and played with their toys more in the last week than in the last several months.

Do you ever find yourself overwhelmed, strung out, stressed and flat-out flustered at the end of the day and feel like you have nothing to show for it, much less have anything crossed off of your "to-do" list? When you get to the end of said day, sit and think,"Does anything that I have done today matter to anyone but me? Does is please the Lord? Does is matter to my children? Does it make my life and my family's life better?" I only say this because at the end of a typical day for me, I don't ask these questions, but I should.

My kids won't grow up remembering that they had a clean house (well, because it isn't, but if it was, they wouldn't), or great looking house, or a nice lawn, or the cutest birthday invitations, or their mother had a great blog.

What do you remember about your childhood? I remember sitting with my Memom on my bed just talking. I remember making cornbread with my mom in the same yellow plastic bowl for years, and years and years. I think she still has it too! I remember my dad taking me hunting and fishing. I remember my mom taking me to the bookstore over and over because I was convinced that I had to read every Beverly Cleary book in the free world. I remember my Memom and mom teaching me how to sew. I remember my Memom letting me cook in her kitchen and she never worried that I made a mess. I remember my mom and I listening to records (okay kids, records are like much larger CDs that sounded kinda crackly when you play them...they are GREAT!!!) and dancing around and playing out the lyrics as we giggled until we collapsed on the floor. These are the things that I want my kids to remember. I don't want them to remember their mom always running around like a maniac cleaning, or mumbling under her breath about how the house is always a constant disaster, or sitting in front of this darn computer, or her being so focused on her next project that she doesn't have time to color a picture of Dora or play Kinex or just sit and tickle each other. I have a long way to go, but I think that I am on the right track.

I know, you are just waiting to finish this post so that you can go hug your kids...well...don't just sit there, DO IT!!!

Many blessings this Thanksgiving.....remember what you are thankful for tomorrow...and remember to tell them everyday how much you love them...

Blessing #1

Blessing #2

Blessing #3