My job.

This morning while my kids were eating breakfast I sat and read my sister-in-law, Emily's blog. It was about how much harder it is to be a stay at home mom than she expected. She loves it but she has hit that snag that we all hit occasionally where she is just overwhelmed. She is a great mom. Her baby is smart and so happy. That doesn't happen without a good momma. I sent her an embrace in the form of a comment and then went to get the monkeys ready for the day.

Of course when I went to get Chloe she was wearing her breakfast on her head. That is how most of my days start.

I have thought about "my job" as a stay at home mom a lot today.

Being a mom, like most things in life is a perpetual game of Chutes and Ladders.

We started with breakfast on the head.

But then the kids played together nicely long enough for me to get ready for the day. Even Chloe will play independently now, for about 2 minutes, but hey it's 2 minutes I didn't have before.





Then the kids picked up their toys...wow, 2 ladders in a row.

Oh never mind the basement is trashed again...

but amidst all the toys my little boy sat playing with his Lincoln logs. He has finally learned to build all by himself.




Then everyone pooped so I wiped butts and changed a diaper.

Then I watched Alyssa figure out how to fix her broken Barbie chair all by herself.



The kids fought.

But the TV has been off all day and that ALWAYS makes me feel like a better mom.

A giant bag of Fritos blanketed my kitchen floor during lunch.

But then we went to the library, picked books and played in the Ready to Read room for an hour. That was an easy hour.

Then we tried to hit 2 ladders in a row again by playing in the park connected to the library.

Alex tried to dart into the parking lot in front of a car.

Alyssa grabbed his hand and held it until it was safe to cross.

Even the stranger in the car that Alex tried to get hit by smiled at that.

We got to the park

and it started to POUR!

Alex demanded juice 63 times.

But Alex and Alyssa both offered the ever rare, un-coerced "thank you" when I made them each an ice cream cone.

Alright, that may sound tedious, but that is my life and I think you get the point. You could say there are always going to be chutes but I prefer to say that we will always inevitably hit a ladder, sometimes two.

I really love being home with my kids.

I worked for the first 2 1/2 years of Alyssa's life. I worked part time and I worked opposite hours from Seth so that someone was always home with Alyssa. I was so excited when Alex was born and Seth got the promotion that sent me to stay at home momville.

Do I sometimes think Seth's job is easier than mine? Yes, sometimes.

Seth goes to work, where I am assuming he actually talks to adult people from time to time. I talk to other moms some days but I don't think I have ever had an uninterrupted conversation with any of them. I think the people at Seth's work even know how to eat without destroying the office, and how to speak without screaming.

And there is always a 5:00. I don't have a 5:00.

Although that all sounds so glamorous and relaxing there is so much more to what Seth does.

He drives 2 hours a day and works his butt off so that I get to do the fun stuff, the eternal stuff. In the end his job does not have much eternal significance. It is important. I think it is even eternally important that he takes care of his family, but the actual work he does is just temporal, unless God has need for a risk manager in Heaven. He gives so much of his time to that job and does it all to provide for us. To allow me to be here spending my days with our eternal family. That is sacrifice, that is love, that is hard.

I love Seth for letting me be a mom. When I am being honest I feel like I got the better end of the deal. When I complain about my hard day I always feel monumentally selfish.

I know that these are the best days of my life. I am trying really hard not to get caught up on how hard it is. I want to recognize right here and right now while I am in the moment, that this is my moment. This is why I am here and I really believe that there can't possibly be anything better in the whole world than where I am right now.

Don't get me wrong. I am not the perfect mom. My kids annoy me. I have been known to ask Seth to remove them from my presence for an hour. I don't always feel like playing with them. It drives me crazy that they target every newly cleaned surface with their messes. But I love my kids. I am reminded of that a million times a day.

My kids love me, even with all my imperfections. They may forget to say thank you 98% of the time but I know they love me. Alex tells me 7 times per second. He also tells me that I am prettiful first thing in the morning, and at random all day long. I am needed. What other job can you find where you are 100% irreplaceable. No one can do what you are doing in your home for you. There is no risk of layoff here. You are the perfect mom for your kids.

Don't let Satan discourage you. From the LDS hymn The Time is Far Spent...

Be fixed in your purpose, for Satan will try you;
The weight of your calling he perfectly knows.

Satan knows that our work is the most important on earth so he is gunning for us. But the Savior also knows the weight of our calling and He trusts us to raise these children. We can do this.

If it won't matter in 100 years, let's just laugh at it.

Anyhow, that is just my unsolicited and possibly unwanted two cents.

Big hugs to Emily and all the other awesome moms out there in the trenches.

*I must go, motherhood is calling. I promised to make cupcakes with Alyssa. One of her many imaginary friends is having a birthday today and wants chocolate cupcakes. She also wanted salmon with lemon slices. I am starting to think Alyssa is using these imaginary friends to her advantage. Oh well, I could use a chocolate cupcake.