Noah is napping and Chris is at the nursing home visiting his grandmother. I am hanging out with my thoughts and was remembering some of the things said in the past conference. I don't have my notes with me so I can't credit this to anyone and I can't even remember the specific quote but I wanted to share the thing that stood out to me the most. The person, I THINK it was Elder Ballard, was talking about a mother who was looking back on her life with her family. She was talking about how busy our day to day can get and she said something to the affect of, "I wish I had enjoyed the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less." I know I have probably slaughtered her words but hopefully you get the jist. It really made me think. How often do we get so caught up in "getting it done", whether it be the gardening, grocery shopping, callings, laundry, whatever, that we don't take the time to really appreciate the time? Does that even make sense? For example, I hate grocery shopping with a passion. I dread it and put it off until all I have to eat is a mustard and cheese sandwich. But, when I finally go, I usually end up loving the time I get with Noah. I always get some sort of treat for us that we snack on while I shop. Noah sits like an angel in the front of the cart and we carry on some of the best "conversations".
Another example. I have been trying to get the weeds in my flower beds under control. When I think about going out to work on the yard I dread it because I think, "How am I going to keep Noah from eating bugs, grass, mulch ( the list goes on and on!) and get done what I need to get done?" But, every time I venture out I end up accomplishing "enough" and I end up rolling around in the grass and having a great time introducing Noah to new sites and sounds.
I need to stop worrying so much about what I did and didn't get done and start appreciating each and every moment Heavenly Father blesses me to have here with the people I love and cherish most.
5 comments:
"Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: 'The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less'(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11)."
(Elder M. Russell Ballard, "Daughters of God")
I liked this from that Conference Address as well:
"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family. Many are able to be 'full-time moms,' at least during the most formative years of their children’s lives, and many others would like to be. Some may have to work part- or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else."
(Elder M. Russell Ballard, "Daughters of God")
The transcripts from General Conference are available at lds.org.
I really enjoyed that talk as well, although it made me sad, too. As I looked around at my kiddo's I had to wonder how much of their lives have I missed because I was in too big of a hurry to "get it done". When all of the kids were little my mom told me that one day I would look back and cherish that particular time in my life. As I was covered in food, spit-up, and other things, I thought she was crazy. Boy how right she was!
Thanks, Cari and Barry, for sharing! This is definitely true! We still have to coax Taylor to sleep at night or for a nap, whether by rocking her or holding her and singing to her or whatever, and so many times, I am in such a hurry to get her to sleep so that I can get other things done. I get frustrated and think, "Why can't you just lie down and go to sleep on your own?" and then I have to remind myself that there is going to come a time when she probably doesn't want me to hold her and cuddle her and that I really just need to enjoy the time I have with her.
Have you heard the song "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins?? It's a great one!
Obviously Cari you have got more then your fair share of your mom and your dads wisdom. :)
I heard that quote from Anna Quindlen the other day too and since then I have really tried to live in the moment. When Addie wakes me up in the middle of the night and wants to sleep with us I get so frustrated because I know that my night of sleep is over, but since hearing that I think, this is the only time she is going to want me so close to her. When she is a little older she won't want to be cuddled constantly, so I need to take advantage of it while I can. Even if that means it is 2 AM!
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