FREE HOME PLANNER
SAMPLE!
To read the first post in this series, go HERE.
I may have had a slightly different childhood than many of you out there (maybe not though, who knows?) I grew up in a single parent home where my mom worked 60-70 hours each week while my three brothers and I survived at home. I can remember at a very young age beginning to imagine (please don't think I'm crazy!) And even as a very young girl, my heart's desire was to be a mom.
After school each day I'd come home to a parentless house, head up to my bedroom, turn on ridiculously loud music (we had parkay floors; if you even stepped around the room it sounded like you were crashing right through the floor. . . anyone remember those?) I then would start imagining.
And here's what I dreamed of (I'm such a nerd, you know!) I imagined that I was a mom.
I imagined that I lived in a house with a front porch. I imagined that I had three children. I even imagined I was married to an engineer. (I put a lot of thought into that one – I figured they made a reasonable amount of money but didn't work too much, like I was convinced all lawyers and doctors did!) I imagined baking cookies, and playing games, and being part of a close-knit family.
Guess what? (You'll never believe this!) I became a mom :). I live in a house with a front porch (some days I wonder if God gave me a picture of our home even as a kid; crazy, isn't it?) I have three cute kiddos (however I think they were much quieter and always listened when I imagined them!) I even married an engineer (I promise you this one's the truth – isn't it crazy what God will give you?) And do you know what else? I get to bake cookies, and play games, and I really do have just the family God designed for me. I AM SO BLESSED! So homemaking for me is something I spent years hoping for, something I never dreamed I would have, and a blessing beyond anything I could ever imagine.
However, in the midst of it all (and even despite the yearning God has always placed on my heart), I sometimes forget the blessing God has given me in my daily routines. I forget that when I wash ten loads of laundry (folding up oodles of mismatched tiny socks), I am blessed. And that when I mop the floor, or scrub the countertops, or repeat new spelling words for the hundredth time, I am blessed. And that even when I clean up the poop (again), and the toilets (really?), I am {still} blessed.
You would think that after dreaming forever of exactly this job I would bounce joyfully off to fixing my kid's cereal each morning when they pull me out of bed. (My littlest one likes to pry my eyes open; trust me, that was not in my imaginings.) Instead, I fight it. I fight the work, the dailiness of it all, and more than anything the I-haven't-spoken-to-another-adult-in-ten-years-so-I'm-feeling-a-little-bit-nuts-today feeling!
So today, if you feel a little like me, I encourage you to embrace the cereal-making and the laundry-washing and the countertop-cleaning and, (of course), even the poop. (I'm encouraging myself here too!)
I encourage you to remember what you thought homemaking looked like before you ever began, whether your children are just babies or all grown up, if you work outside the home or inside the home (because if you are a woman, you are a homemaker!) And I encourage you to seek the blessing in exactly the job God's given you, even if you're not feeling so blessed in it today. God has called you to a precious occupation, and believe it or not, even in the poop :), we truly are incredibly blessed.
Photo courtesy of Salty Cotton on Flickr. Looking for more in this series? Read parts three and four.
And this is why I love you(I’m sure this seems odd to you but to us that follow you we really do “feel” like we “know” you!)…inspiration on just the day I need it!! I love your contagious attitude!!! I will be praying for you as you send Jackson back to school today! Isn’t it neat how God can bring good out of an even crazy time like Covid, for you it’s been more family time! I love that!!!
That is just the sweetest Sue ~ thanks so much for your kind words of encouragement! And YES ~ God is so good to bring sweet blessings even amidst the uncertainty and craziness! Hugs!
As I read this post I truly thought you were talking through me.I to grew up in a single family home fending for myself most days. I always hoped to be a mother and give my kids the life I craved on a daily basis. I succeeded. I now have three beautiful kids and have been a stay at home mom for 10 yrs. I totally understand the goibg crazy not talking to adults. I too struggle some days to find the joy in this work I have chosen to take on. Thank you so much for encouraging me today to enjoy this blessed life I have. Today and everyday moving forward I intend to not take this life for granted. Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing Arlee – goodness we’re not alone! We are so blessed in this very moment, I need to be reminded of that this morning too. Thanks so much for sharing!
Beautiful post. I always wanted to be a mom too. At times, I do forget how bless I am. Thank you for the reminder!!!!
On Friday,i was at the supermarket. I help someone grab something and he told me. God bless you. My answeer was that we where bless right there and then. We where in a supermarket,able to buy food in a country not at war. A lady look at my like i was totally out of my mind. But i live on Aruba,right opposite Venezuela where people fight in the street over onions.
And i work full time,have 6 kids …..but i have a washing machine,a wonderful machine that make life so much easier.
And yet everyone is allowed the down day,the moments that don’t feel quite right. The being so very very tired.
But tried when you drive you car to feel how privileged you are,just driving,washing your clothes not by hand. Being able to feed your family and maybe a few more.
That’s all fine and good, but there are a lot of people out there that don’t have the luxury of being a stay at home mom. I work a full time job. I do work from home but am constantly going back and forth trying to be there for my kids AND work. Right now, I’m having trouble finding another job where I can still stay home with my baby girl. It’s gotta be nice to not have to deal with an outside job AND the house AND the kiddos. I have a full time job as does my husband and we don’t have money to go on vacations. We haven’t gone on a vacation in at least 6 years. I wish I didn’t feel this way. I guess what I’m trying to say is that you are all very fortunate and blessed to be able to stay at home without an outside job. I would LOVE that opportunity.
Hi Michele!
I definitely feel CRAZY blessed to be able to work full time from home, and sooooooo understand what you’re saying. My mom was a full time single mom working 60 hours+ per week with four kids, so I really do get it.
But ultimately, I think whether you work full time or not, the job of “homemaking” (for all of us!) really is laid on the mom. And even if you’re working (goodness, ESPECIALLY when you’re working!) there is so much value in what you do as a mom each day ~ you’re doing an amazing job for your family! I spent literally 40+ hours working when my kids were little to build my business here so I’d be able to stay home, so I so know it’s not easy, but am so thankful for the opportunity and know I’m crazy fortunate to have that. You’re doing an awesome job as a mom – know that God has big plans for you right where you’re at!
Elizabeth Bass I miss seeing you all too! 🙂
Hang in there Candice – that has got to be so difficult but what you're doing is so valuable!
I really miss her
Love it!
I loved the days I was a full time homemaker and kids were little. Time flys and then they are goning off to college. Ladies enjoy them as much as you can.
I needed that so much having kids with disabilities takes a toll on a person and I may not have dreamed of being a mom I did know I wanted to be a better mother than some and yet I also wanted a life different from the one I grew up in so I guessing got it but you can easily forget how blessed one is so thank you again
B E A U T I F U L ! ! !
I needed to hear this, thank you! I too was a. 'Latch Key kid. All I wanted when I grew up was to be a wife and Mom. God blessed me with a hardworking husband and three great kids. Although my life is not as easy or fun as I thought it was going to be. I'm tired of doing laundry everyday! I am blessed though 🙂
<3
Thanks for the reminder that we are truly blessed beyond measure to be moms!
I still love reading this! I love all your Random Ramblings!
Thanks Alice! I really am determined to get back to writing a few more “random ramblings” once the kids get back in school, but this summer it’s all I can do just to keep on top of the deals. It’s fun though to do something other than deal hunting every once in awhile…. maybe once that baby of mine starts kindergarten! 😉
Once again, I am moved to tears. Oh, I just want to hug my family and sob and tell them how much I appreciate them! But when I get up I will step in the wet spoit from where my son had an accident this morning and my daughter will greet me with a scowl simply because she’s a ‘tween. And my husband will be too busy to talk. At least I still have these great posts to read!
Thank you Laurie for blessing me today with your words and thank you God for using her and this blog to do it! I can’t imagine the hard work you put in this blog on top of everything else – but this excerpt on homemaking alone is worth every ounce of time you put in. God is using you here!
In the midst of a week that I keep thinking, “It would be so much easier if I went back to work and sent my kids to school” This is exactly what I needed to read. Oh sure it would be easier, but I would allow someone else to have the joy and blessing of raising my kiddos. And they wouldn’t even recognize each of them as the individual blessing they each are. Thank you so much for the reminder that each of my kiddos are a gift from God and that He has entrusted me with their care. What a responsibility, but what a privilege!!
I was very touched be this. Thank you!
I think back to the days when I lived alone and nobody was there to track dirt on my floors or leave dishes on the coffee table or even pull me out of bed at 6am! My daughter is 2 years old and I enjoy making my house a home and doing special things for her! I am a police officer and have to leave my precious child 4 nights a week and fulfill my other dream. I always pray that her bedtime kiss will not be the last from her mommy.
Reading this gives me one of those “aha..I am exactly where I am supposed to be” moments. You know….Gods little signs. Why? Well, actually, because I have cleaned soooo much poop the last two days. For some reason the three year old likens it to paint lately and the one year old won’t keep his clothes/diaper on. So…strange as it is, it is not common for me to clean that much and reading a little “be grateful for poop” excerpt tells me this is my life and I am supposed to have it! Thanks!
I often say being a mommy is the hardest work I’ve ever done, but the best job I’ve ever had!! Thanks for the reminder at how blessed we really are!!
That was beautiful! Being a mom is such GIFT and it’s hard to see it as so on some days. I always say that I wouldn’t trade this job for anything in the world, but some days I sure don’t act like it. 🙁 This vocation of motherhood is absolutely a blessing and it’s so important for us all to encourage each other! Thanks for this today!
Laurie:
That was so touching and beautifully written. What a great reminder to us to appreciate what God has blessed us with.
I’ll second what Rita wrote above — God *is* good!
Oh is it true!
Now the boy and girl I imagined having are 34 and 38 years old. The time flies by some how. Enjoy the mess, the loudness, the cookie baking and the feeling of being tired! You are doing the most wonderful job in the world and raising the new generation. God is Good!!!
So very well expressed. Thank you! I think being a homemaker is the best job in the world.
Thank you. I had a similar life growing up. My parents were together but dad was never around and my mom worked 60-70 hours a week. I used to dream about her getting fired and being home with us. I would also spend lots of time thinking about what type of mom I would be.
Since becoming a stay at home mom this past year, it has been a hard transition for me to go from contributing financially to my family to being a homemaker and contributing in so many other ways. Thank you for reminding me that my new “job” has so much more purpose than providing financially.
You are such an inspiration to me! Thank you for reminding me what is important and the many blessings I have, what needs to be cleaned (usually 5 min is enough to get a big dent in it), how to save money for my family, and how lucky I am to be a stay at home mom to 3 wonderful kids – poop, yelling, fighting, spelling words and all. Thank you!
Thanks for the reminder Laurie – I tend to forget this one so often! And I do love my sweet family . . . I just have days where I get tired of the poop too 🙂