Raising Children is Like...

I have a love/hate relationship with Sharpee Permanent Markers. On the one hand, they're really useful for labeling everything from lunchboxes to pool toys, and the writing will never come off. But that's the problem, the writing will never come off. My dear son, who shall remain nameless but his name starts with a "J" took a permanent black marker and made a very thick line across his bedroom wall and closet door. When Ben did this on my new office desk, it came off pretty easily with Windex. Windex doesn't work on walls and doors as well. We scrubbed at it with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and it may look OK after some paint for the walk-through tomorrow for the family buying our house.


My mother used to have a sign hanging in her house that said "Raising children is like being pecked to death by a duck" I would like to add that trying to keep a clean house while raising children is like trying to build a sandcastle while the waves are crashing in. Or trying to shovel snow during a blizzard. Or trying to bail out a sinking boat. You get the picture, and I'm sure you all can sympathize. Suffice it to say that the only time our house is truly clean is when I take the kids to visit my mom in the summer and Andy is home alone. But, a wonderful and very wise mother sent me this poem once, and I'll share it with you.

Some houses try to hide the fact that children shelter there.
Ours boasts of it quite openly, the signs are everywhere.
For smears are on the windows, little smudges on the door;
I should apologize, I guess, for toys strewn on the floor.
But I sat down with the children and we played & laughed & read;
And if the doorbell doesn't shine, their eyes will shine instead.
For when at times I'm forced to choose the one job or the other;
I want to be a housewife--but first I'll be a Mother.
author unknown


So while I'm at this time of motherhood, I'll just focus on the most important thing, and that's loving and enjoying the children. One day, I'll have a very clean house, and I'll wish I had children around to mess it up.