...until the movers come.
I was just telling Hubs that I am stressing out right now. There are so many things to do, loose ends to tie up, appointments to coordinate, etc. I was really getting overwhelmed. I remember "shooing" my children away this afternoon in order to complete some tasks.
During my nightly ritual of checking email and blogs, I ran across this post by Mckmama, and did a quick priority check. Even though my babies no longer get rocked to sleep, they do ask for my attention in other areas. I pray they will always know that no household chore ever held a higher priority than they simply because I paid attention to their small requests.
Song for a Fifth Child (Ruth Hulburt Hamilton)
Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
empty the dust pan, poison the moth,
hang out the washing and butter the bread,
sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew,
and out in the yard there's a hullabaloo.
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo)
The cleaning and scrubbing will wait til tomorrow,
for children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.
2 comments:
Oh I loved that poem! How I wish I had read that many years ago. It is a big struggle of mine, though only in recent years have managed to "deal" better with it. Thanks for the reminder!
Oh Dear Sweet Cousin! I know you are in the "thick" of things and your countdown has begun, but I know you can do it! I prayed for you today...for all that extra energy and patience and time you need. Thank you for that sweet but jolting reminder to stop and take the time - for them. Because of your post, I've actually stopped 3 times this afternoon for the girls when normally, I would have "shooed" them off until later. Love you much! Wish I was closer to I could come help. Hang in there!
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