Being A Mom In "Zion"

Have you ever read other blogs and wondered how some women do it all? How do they manage the "perfect" family, the "perfect" marriage, the "perfect" house, the "perfect" body, time to drive their multiple kids to multiple activities (dance, sports, music, art, etc.), church callings, the gym, being on the PTA, running a side business, publishing their own book, making their own CD, etc, etc. The list goes on and on. Do you ever feel inadequate after reading some of the blogs out there, and feel like you're chopped liver? I just don't see how some people have this amazingly wonderful life ALL the time, and everything's just roses ALL the time. Sure nobody wants to read anything negative or depressing, but let's get real here people. One of the hardest things (for me) is to not compare myself to other moms my age. I've never really excelled at anything. I've always been mediocre. My GPA in high school and college was so-so. I can't say there's one thing that I can do really good-I've always been just average. And I don't want to make it seem like my life is perfect and all hunky-dori on here, because it's not.

Why do some women run themselves ragged? Their calendar is so full they have no time to stop and breathe! I see all the different things they are involved in, and their children are involved in, and I don't know how they do it. I think some women feel like they need to be doing millions of different things in order to be a good mom. Well, I've made it a goal of mine to never let that happen to me. Sure it's great to have our kids involved in sports and other things, but I think it's important to draw a line. Pick and choose. Make sure you give them enough time to just chill at home and play with their brothers and sisters, and have creative "imaginary" time. I don't want my kids to feel like they're on a schedule all the time. I also don't want to over-indulge, over-stimulate my kids constantly so they expect it constantly. Financially we're not in a spot right now to do a lot of the things other parents are doing with their kids, so we just try to keep things simple. If we start trying to keep up with everyone else and give our kids more, they'll keep expecting more, and I don't think that's the answer. I want them to appreciate what they have, and not just expect to get everything they want right that minute. I want them to know that sometimes we don't get what we want. Sometimes we have to be patient and save up a long time before we can get something. Sometimes we can't have everything our friends have. Sometimes life isn't fair. I want them to be thankful for what they DO have, because we really are so blessed and have so much.

As a mother in "Zion" I'm not perfect. I have so much to work on. I love my kids to death but cannot wait for school to start again. Sorry, I'm not one of those moms who thoroughly enjoys having her kids home every day all day and has just one big happy family. The kids are fighting right now as I speak. I'm not that good of a mom to say that they're just so cute and happy all time and I just love being around them and love being a mom. Sometimes I need a break from being a mom. Sometimes I think I'm going to go nuts and have to escape. Sometimes I yell. Sometimes I wish Ryan were around more. Sometimes the days are extremely long and I get impatient with my kids and just want the day to end. Sometimes I feel like I can't do everything that's required of me. The list seems so long, that something's just gotta give. And so I DON'T do it all.

So I guess the important thing here is to not compare ourselves to other people. Things may not be how they appear. Wonder Woman does not exist, although some women come pretty darn close. We each have our own gifts and talents and things we're good at, and some may not be as obvious as others. We're still growing, we're still progressing, and there are still more gifts to be discovered as we get older. We're all at different places in life, and I guess we just need to do the best we can with what we've been given and try to find joy as we do it. Who cares what so-and-so is doing, because what we're doing right now is just fine.
(sorry-I needed to vent-I'm on one today!)