When I am faint of heart...

Since one good rant deserves another, I have a follow up for last month's... Here we go...

Having kids and being a mom is definitely the hardest thing I have ever done. It's never ending, without thanks, and worse, I'm constantly failing the high expectations I have for myself. The kids refuse to act they way they're told, and they are prone to entering spheres of unpredictable tantrums. "It's too hard!" Everything is so hard according to my kids, and then I start to adopt their philosophy. That's when I start to wonder, "Where did I go wrong?"

I've never had self-esteem problems. Working towards and achieving my goals makes life very fulfilling. But motherhood has a way of throwing everything off kilter. I sometimes feel like I'm stuck in a paradox, where I'm so overwhelmed because dealing with my kid's erratic mood swings is just hard, yet at the same time thinking "I'm just a mom, it shouldn't be that difficult!" And, having set some of my personal aspirations aside, my progress as a mother is hard to measure. 

So there is my rant. Then comes my quote. "We women have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives(!) We have to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us. We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove something (even if it is to myself). We have to learn to be content with what we are." Marjorie Hinckley was a very wise woman.

So I took a nap, and I went to the temple, and I exercised, and I discovered how wonderful my life as a mother could be!

I love my kids. I think they are silly, and hilarious, and wonderful. I really like the freedom I have as a stay at home mother, and I like formulating our schedule. I love my role as teacher. And when we play I can be even goofier than my kids are.

I am blessed and grateful and lucky to have three great kids, and a wonderful husband who does the dishes for me every night!

"I Am a Mother!" (props to Jane Clayson Johnson). I know that it is an incredibly important job, and a hard job.

I have found that...

Exercising in the morning gives me energy and happy endorphins necessary for my happy day.

Sleep does wonders.

I can claim blessings of strength when I go to the temple.

Having goals to work toward, and having a planned schedule for the day is motivating.

Letting go of the less important things, realizing I can't do everything, and believing it's not important that I do everything, is freeing.
Doing what I love to do brings happiness.

Focusing on my children is a sweet blessing.

So I guess I take back what I said before. When last month I said, "If you are thinking of having kids... don't do it." I changed my mind (especially if my sister and sister-in-law read that), have kids! And get ready for a crazy ride! (and now you know too much about what is in store... sorry I forgot to give a spoiler-alert.)