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 ;)