For a friend

Some houses try to hide the fact
That children shelter there,
Ours boasts it quite openly,
The signs are everywhere.

For smears are on the windows,
Little smudges on the door,
I should apologize, I guess,
For toys strewn on the floor.

But I sat down with the children,
And we laughed & played & read,
And if the doorbell doesn’t shine,
Their eyes will shine instead.

For when at times I'm forced to choose,
The one job or the other,
I want to be a housewife,
But first I’ll be a Mother.

--Author Unknown

 I love this poem. My mom has a framed copy. When I was little I actually memorized it and used to act it out in the living room with my dolls. It is funny that now that I am a mom I feel like I don't follow it's message enough. Our house is no sparkling palace, but I feel like I let housework take priority over playing with Lily a little too often. It's definitely a hard thing to balance. She does need to see examples of work and learn to take care of a home herself one day. Plus doesn't everyone feel better and more at peace in a clean environment? Does that sound like justification? Confession: Sometimes it's like a break to clean. Sounds strange, I know, but it's hard to be playmate to an active toddler for extended periods of time. It can be fun, but it can also get boring. Sometimes I feel like just being in the same room with her wipes me out. Cleaning can sometimes be relaxing. We probably need to get out more :)

I definitely care about being a better mom than housewife - though I do believe in taking care of my home and that teaching children to is an important life-lesson. I really want my focus to be my children and enjoying time with the people I love so they have no doubt about where they stand in my list of priorities. 

I like this quote by Marjorie Pay Hinckley that someone else shared with the friend I posted this poem for:  

 "I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

I think I want to have the sticky kisses and tears, without getting the peanut butter all over my clothes, completely letting go of my appearance or not having time to wash my hands thoroughly after weeding that garden. My heart is in the right place. I really don't care for a sports car or perfect manicure, is that good enough? Hopefully :)

Anyway, with this I want to remember this scripture which my friend shared on her blog:

"And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better." Doctrine & Covenants 25:10

That pretty much means letting go of the day to day drudge, or the day to day dazzle - whatever your distractions may be - because cultivating characteristics and relationships that can last eternally is way more important. Shining eyes, Lissy!