Reasons

Do you ever find yourself looking back at former stages in your life and trying to remember what that was like?

I try to remember what it was like in college or what I used to do everyday in high school. I was a pretty good journal keeper back then so that sheds a glimmer of light on the story. But mostly I can't remember. I don't remember, in a specific sense, what my life was like then. And that makes me very sad.

I refuse to forget this time in my life. My children are young (5, 3, and 10 months) and I see them doing so many things that make me happy, drive me crazy, and force me to smile. Everyday is literally a new adventure. But I tend to get caught in the busyness of it all.

As anyone in a similar situation can attest to, my life as a stay-at-home mom is full to the brim of tiny tasks. I spend my days getting milk, wiping noses, picking up toys, getting snacks, fixing games, buttoning pants, changing diapers, finding stuffed giraffes, getting the right movie, turning down the volume, reading stories, playing with cars, soothing hurts, breaking up fights, and then starting it all over again. I try to fit in a few of the home management tasks, getting everybody where they need to be at the right time, and if I'm lucky a teaching moment or two.

These tiny tasks are so numerous and frequent that it is hard not to get smothered by them. But every day, amid the sea of tiny tasks, I always find a moment or two that take me out of the busyness and remind my why I love what I do. Examples-

• A clean kitchen (finally)
• Mr. Farmer being forced to put away his smart phone because the bozos are climbing all over his lap and trying to tickle him
• Getting Madeline to giggle--a true out and out giggle
• Overhearing Emmett singing "Momma called the Dr. and the Dr. said, 'No More Zombies Jumping on the Bed!'"
• Hearing Logan read to Emmett at night when they are supposed to be asleep
• Logan making Madeline smile
• Emmett telling Logan that he is his best friend
• Mr. Farmer texting me one of the many reasons that he loves me.
  

These things happen all the time and they are the moments that make all the other stuff worth it. And I refuse to forget them.

So this is my solution. I will post everyday and I will record some of these little moments. My posts will be short and they may not make total sense. The format will probably change until I know exactly how to do this thing, but I want to record something that each child did that day. But I will not limit it to my kids. I want to remember how it feels to be a young mother of young children. So I will record those feelings too.

Well, that is my plan. It is loose and adaptable and will most likely evolve, but that is OK. I hope that I (and maybe my kids) will read this all someday and smile at the memory of all that we did together. All the good, the crazy and the lovely things that make up my life.