Just wait...

I read an article awhile back about parenting/ motherhood. Wish I could remember the link but I can't. It was basically a mother reflecting on the "just wait" moments that you heard about in motherhood. So many of them are negative. "Just until you prefect newborn it 6 months and teething" "just wait till your 2 year old is 3 and won't stop talking" and so many more "just waits". She pointed out that it is the sweet "just waits" that are exciting. "Just wait until your baby says mama" "just wait until your big 5 year old goes to kinder and holds your hand because he is scared and only wants you".

The article was great. It got me thinking about motherhood things. Here are few in random order:

• I always try to make it a point to not belittle new moms or moms with one child. Just because one mom has three kids doesn't mean that the mom with one child isn't overwhelmed, stress or tired. I look back on myself as a mother to one and remember sitting in groups of mom with multiple children. They would say the "just wait" things or tell me how easy it was with one. It wasn't! There is a reason babies come by themselves (most of the time). 1 or 10, motherhood is hard. I wish all mom's could remember the adjustment it is for a new mom.
• I am learning one of the biggest secrets of motherhood is going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning. Both of those preferably early.  If I go to bed early I wake up well rested and ready to take on world. If I get up before my kids then I have a little quiet time to prep for the day. Even if that time is only 20 minuets it helps! I have time to squeeze in a shower. Read my scriptures and pray with out little hands and voices getting in the way.
• Have a routine! This is huge. I am not sure how anyone could go through the day with out having a small set schedule or routine. My kids know that I get ready in the morning, once I'm done, its make beds, get dressed, then downstairs for breakfast. Naps, quiet time and bed time are always the same time. Piper is to easy to put to bed these days because she knows her routine. I am very flexible with our schedule. I'm not going to make other rearrange their lives to fit my schedule but we stick to it as much as possible. It really makes a difference.
• Just do it! This applies to so much for me. It is easy for me to let the house work slide and for me to think "I'll just to it tomorrow". I've taken on a new attitude the last little bit. It is to just do it. Pick up the room before we leave it, just do one load of laundry a day, just put the dish in the dishwasher instead of on the counter, just take the small extra effort to keep things together now so I don't have to do it later. It has been great. I will admit that it has taken some getting used to. I have forced myself many nights to just do the dishes. In the morning I am so glad to wake up to a clean kitchen. Just doing things when they need to be done has freed up a bunch of time for me. I have had more free time to play with the kids. I used to rush and tire myself out during Pipers nap to catch up on things I had been putting off. For the last week, things have been caught up on and I have had the time to read a book with Laine on the couch and even take nap. Its been great! 
• I have had people comment on how full my hands are when I have all my kids with me at a store. I always say "I wouldn't have it any other way". Most of the time they look a little surprised at my answer. That is the honest truth. I love what I am doing right now. Sure, putting the 4 year old to bed for the 10th time tonight gets old, but this is what I want to do with my life. I never feel like what I am doing is worthless. There is so much bad going on in the world. So many ask how or why or what is wrong with people. The answer stems from what is going wrong in peoples homes. Stronger homes will make a stronger society.