The Houston's Home: November 2014

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Just A Mom

In church we have a newsletter for our relief society each month, and each month they do a spotlight on these sisters telling who they are and what they do, where they came from and all sorts of interesting tidbits about themselves. I really love reading these short bios of the ladies in my church, but I also get a little overwhelmed each month as I learn that another woman is, by far, more interesting than me. I mean these ladies have done and seen the world, and are educated and have interesting jobs that pay money. I don't mean to get down on myself at all, or try to compare, but sometimes it's hard when it's right in front of my face.

My life is simple, and I kind of like it like that, but I sometimes feel like I need to go get a cool job to prove that I am someone and not "just a mom". Maybe that's it. Maybe I have a hard time with saying that I am "just a mom". I know that I shouldn't use the word JUST in that sentence, but other women are moms too, but they also have careers, so it feels like a "just"to me. Especially since I'm not a perfect mom. Maybe if I was a super awesome perfect mom I would feel justified in saying I'm just a mom, but I am SO not perfect. I even sometimes wonder what I do all day. Next year my youngest will be in school full time. This is sort of new territory for me. I haven't had a paying job in 11 years, and frankly and don't really want one. Maybe I would want a part-time one that would coincide perfectly with my kids schedule, but I don't want to leave my full time job of being a homemaker. Yes there is a lot of drudgery with taking care of the house and kids, but I also love it that I am here for my kids ALL OF THE TIME. I don't know what life will bring, maybe I will have to get a job later, and if I can find a part-time position somewhere then I would be happy to help pay off the mortgage, but really I like staying home and making it run a bit smoother. I'm tired of feeling like I'm not doing enough because everyone else has a job and is a mother. I think there was a time long long ago when being "just a mom" was ok. What happened? It is a sacrifice to stay home. I've sacrificed my "career" to raise these 3 kids. I wouldn't change any of it, I just wish people would value motherhood fully.
I guess when it's my turn to write a short bio for church the ladies will be bored with my little synopsis, but I really like my life, and I think my kids like are grateful that I'm home too, so I will try to be grateful that I am able to stay home, and strive to make this wonderful crazy home a bit more peaceful and full of joy and love.

Out Of The Mouth of My Kids

On Easter this year Will had his easter basket full of the little plastic eggs when he accidentally tripped and dropped his basket. When he dropped his basket the plastic egss broke open to reveal the candy inside. Will, in the most excited voice I've ever heard him use said "The eggs open!!!!!!" He couldn't believe there was candy inside- it was the coolest thing to him!
(Easter 2009)

I asked Will one day where the new baby was going to sleep. He said: " in a cage". I guess we now know what he thought of his crib.
(Winter 2009)

I was playing with Will one day. He was pretending to be a robot, so I decided to be a robot too, but he said:
"no you can't be a robot you are a princess"
I said:
"what do princesses do?"
He said:
"they just dance"
(Winter 2009)

We drove by a horse pasture the other day and Claire said:
"I really want a horse. If you don't get me a horse mom I will fire you... ... I mean I will fire Daddy!"
(Winter 2009)

We were talking about where we should go out for dinner one night and Shawn mentioned a new Terriakyi Sushi place. Claire got very excited and said, "Yes! Sushi! Shushi! Please! Please! Please! I love Sushi!" We soon found out she meant a Slushee (like a fruit drink) not Sushi. She does not like Sushi.

Claire: "Mom, I can't make my bed. Will is making me have too much fun." (July 2008)

Will's newest fixation is robots. Yes, we saw WALLE, and that's about when it started. Will can't quite say ROBOT though, so he says "Beebot" instead. It took us awhile to figure out what he meant, but now it's very cute - beebot! (Summer 2008)

William at age 2 still doesn't say too much, but some times he gets on a kick and repeats things over and over, and recently he has found bird poo very interesting. I don't know why, but when we go on walks lately he stops at every white spot on the side walk and says "bird poo- ewwww yuck" this happens over and over and over and over on our walks. I never realized there was so much bird poo in the world! (Summer 2008)

I recently walked in on Claire singing a song she made up to her brother. This is a rare occurance, so I thought I'd better write it here to remember that even though they fight they still love each other. Here is the gist of the song imagine in a very high drawn out soprano:
"I love youuuuuuuuu. You are my frieeeeend because you love to play with meeeeeee and you love to go outside with meeee. I love YOUUUUUU!"
She repeated this over and over and Will just sat there listening seeming to know the song was just for him. I will have to show her this when she is mad at her brother for playing with her "stuff". (Summer 2008)

Claire: "Mom, when I stretch my nose up my nostrils look like bunny ears." (Spring 2008)

Claire had a cough one morning. When she woke up she said:
"My voice is crooked" (Winter 2008)

Claire toes aren't just toes. They are "Weeny Toes" because they are so small compared to everything else. (Winter 2008)

Claire: "Mom, don't step on the cracks or you will get boy slime." (Spring 2008)

Claire (in disgust after we had a carpenter ant problem): "Why did Heavenly Father have to make ants on the Earth?" (Summer 2008)

Claire: "I want to be a cowgirl and a mama when I grow up, and I will have 6 babies and they will all be girls." (2008)

Claire (smiling): "Mom, I can't stand it, I'm so NERVOUS for Christmas" I asked why she was "nervous" and she explains how she can't wait to see what Santa brings for her. I finally figured out that she meant excited not nervous and couldn't wait for Chritmas . (Winter 2007)