(204) Yay Mommy!

Let me tell you something: It has been a long, long, loooooooooooong day. I have been busy trying to get my house all cleaned up and all the big boring chores out of the way so that I can spend the rest of the week preparing for our branch Halloween party/trunk-or-treat this weekend. For some reason, I volunteered myself to be in charge of it!

So, today has involved a lot of working, running errands, scrubbing dishes, folding laundry, sweeping, dusting...blah, blah, blah. I've also, of course, been interupted several times throughout this busy day to play, read, cuddle, feed, love my little girls.

Tonight at dinner, Owyn was tired and a little cranky. She had a major (I mean huge!) meltdown because I didn't cut her sandwich small enough. If I had seen it coming, it could have been avoided; but, I didn't see it coming, so, um, it wasn't avoided. =) To make matters worse, I gave Lily a Nilla wafer and that completely distracted Owyn from her sandwich and convinced her that she was in desperate need of a cookie.

I won't bore you with the details of how everything went down. That's beside the point anyway. The main thing that impressed me the most was that I was able to stay calm, be patient, and actually problem-solve with Owyn ways to make her situation better. I explained to her the rules of dinnertime (eat what you are given, finish your food before dessert) and the importance of being obedient. Then, I sat with her and helped her follow the rules and receive the reward in the end.

Really, it was a very touching experience and actually thrilled me a little to be so much in the position of mother/teacher/nurturer. Also, I was able to see some parallels of what Christ has done through his atonement to act as our Redeemer and that, alone, was a huge encouragement and reassurance to me that I am teaching my daughter truth.

So, after the whole thing was over and Owyn was dancing around the kitchen with her cookies, I looked back and wondered what made me able to be so calm and proactive in a situation that might have otherwise caused me to lose patience. Here is what I realized:

Last night, since I knew I had a big day ahead, I mapped out my day. I wrote down everything that needed to be done and figured out what I thought would be the best way to do it, even assigning time limits and times of day to certain chores. That may sound a little (or a lot) crazy to some, but it absolutely makes me feel calmer and more in control. Even if things don't stick to the schedule (which they never do), I still have something of a guide to keep me close to on track.

Most importantly, I included time in the morning to study my scriptures and say my morning prayers, writing next to it "I need the help today!" I have been, sadly, lacking in that area. This morning, though I slept in, I brought Owyn downstairs and we said morning prayers together and then I read my scriptures while she ate breakfast. I am positive, without a doubt in my mind, that this alone is what made the difference in my day.

On a day where I might have felt overwhelmed and stressed and even a little hopeless that my life is nothing more than one mess after another, I actually felt fulfilled and peaceful and in the right place. I know today that the work I do is important. This is where happiness is.