Monday, January 14, 2013

Being Intentional

I'm assuming it's a well-known fact that I am not a morning person.
I don't actively carry on conversations before 10 am.
Blake, however, is.
Just a few weeks ago I scored one of those "Light Up Alarm Clocks"
off of Ebay that are supposed to teach your child to sleep.
Somehow the magic green light that comes on ONLY at the
predetermined time set by the mamas and the papas
is supposed to keep your child in bed.
Blissfully sleeping until the light comes on and you hear their
angelic voices sing out "Mother dear, I've awoken!"
Right.
Glad I only spent $9.99 and not the forty dollars new that Amazon wanted.
We've (wait. I ) have still been up at least once every night since we got the clock
to tuck Blake back in and remind him that
the light is not green yet.
So here we are...Monday morning.
He's walking around with a poopy diaper that he's not quite ready for me to change.
(There are time limits on those things, kiddo....)
I'm finally in clean out and organize mode.
He's in plop a construction hat on mommy's head and grab her around the neck
while smelling like a landfill mode.
I'm washing bedding and doing dishes.
He's lining up matchbox cars and telling me to pick one.
Every time I pick one the conversation goes like this:
"I'll be this one."
"No, Fresco Boonie not workin."
"Oh. Francesco Bernoulli isn't working? I'll be Finn."
"Finn kinda broken..."
The point here is this...
Every day I strive to make a conscious, well semi-conscious, choice around 7:15am
to be the mom that God gives me an opportunity to be.
It's my choice.
Somedays it's the easiest thing in the world...
somedays it's not.
But everyday I get to choose whether or not I'm going to engage and be intentional
with my kids.
There are times that it feels overwhelming and exhausting to think about
meeting one more demand.
But I think what I'm learning, is that it is truly a choice
and if I choose to step into the ring
the rewards are enormous.
Just spending 15 minutes playing with Blake usually means his
little love tank gets filled and
 I can go accomplish a few of my to-do's for the day.
If I do it the other way around, I never seem to sit down and give him that time
that he so badly wants!
So I'm striving this year to be intentional with my kids.
To just be okay with sitting still and playing cars with Blake or
laughing with Kelcie and her vibrating rolly pig.
Because I know that the growing up will come way faster than
I really, truly want.
And when I'm left with more than enough time on my hands to have
a clean home and a coffee date with a friend,
I think what I'll want more than anything is just one more day
playing cars with a little boy in a stinky diaper.
Well, maybe not the stinky diaper part....just saying ;)

1 comment:

Ashley said...

You hit the nail right on the head. Sometimes it can take such an effort to remember to be intentional. I need to remember to more intentional in ALL of my relationships. It is all too easy to get caught up in the day to day tasks that really can wait a bit.