Mothers Know Best

O.K. so I call my mom yesterday after complaining to Jamie how I feel that I have been given more than I can handle. I wanted her to say "I'll come up and help you". Who doesn't want their mother to come and help them when times are tough? But what I got was not what I wanted to hear. I didn't what someone to help me fix my problem. I didn't want advice, because I had every excuse why it could not be done.
I explained to her all my frustrations. She said the tail is wagging the dog. She said, do you remember when i would sit all you kids on the couch and tell you to sit still and do not say a word and I would wave the wooden spoon. I said I remember the wooden spoon, but not sitting on the couch.
She said sit the boys down and let them know what is expected of them and that they need to help out.
The last thing I wanted to do was bring the boys in from playing outside and tell them to start working. For I thought I would get into another grumbling session with them and I did not have the energy to do that anymore.
So, after I hung up with my mom, I sat there for a minute and i decided I was going to do it. I felt the spirit after I decided and I new what I was doing was right. So I called them in , not knowing what I was going to say. I had them all sit on the couch. I could tell they new I meant business.

In a nutshell I said, the Lord provided us with families so we can all work together. He did not design families for the parents to do all the work and the children go and play. what is happening is while you guys are out playing, I am in the house stressed out with all the cleaning, cooking, your homework, Showhomes work, taking care of Haylie and Tyson and many other things. The Lord does not what me to do all these things by myself. We are to work together. When you guys go and play football, one person can not play all the plays. It takes the whole team. I think they got the point, for after that I assigned them some work and they all pitched in and cleaned with good attitudes. I felt empowered and all of a sudden I had more energy, because I was doing the right thing. I wrote them a thank you card, thanking them for their good attitudes and help.
Jamie came home from work that night and reiterated it to them again.

Isn't it wonderful that the Lord created families and didn't send us down here to be by ourselves. He wanted us to have a unit where we could rely on each other, have fun together, and learn from one another. It takes a family to get all the things done we need to do. Just like football, one person can not make all the plays, it takes the whole team.
I need to remember this.
Being in Minnesota, the Lord has taught me through many examples to turn my heart and mind towards my family, my husband and children. Being away from extended family in Kentucky, we have grown closer and stronger. When times get tough, we have learned to step it up. But we all need a little reminder every now and then.
So, thanks to my wonderful mother, our house got cleaned and we all went to bed with love in the air!