It Takes It ALL!

I remember being a kid and wondering what my parents did for fun. To be quite honest I thought my parents were pretty boring people because all they ever did was work, serve in church, and parent. Little did I know how incredibly blessed I was by that! I always knew reading and quilting were my moms hobbies but it baffled me that she didn’t do those things more if she really liked to do them and why she only rarely hung out with her friends. And my dad worked, served in church like my mom, and was a dad, period. Definitely no hobbies for him. What was truly important to them, their family and their God, took all their time and effort and I just saw that as boring. Well what I thought was so boring about them has become my reality and I absolutely wouldn’t have it any other way! 

Recently the girls great uncle Terry came to visit them from Hawaii and we spent an afternoon being completely spoiled by him. He hasn’t seen Keagan and Riley since they were babies so we had a lot of catching up to do. He had lots of questions for the girls and some for me. He asked me several times about the same point. “What do you do for fun?” “What are your hobbies?” And “How often do you get a break?” I think my responses were surprising to him that the girls are my entire world, my everything. I know being their mom is an incredible blessing and I don’t take it lightly at all. And although I do often wish I had a break, and I often yearn for “me time”, I know this is my season for mommin’, and mommin’ hard! And I truly try my darndest to do the best I can. I cherish my motherhood and would not pick anything or anyone over it! Ever! 

Being a mom is SO much harder then I ever knew a SO much more fulfilling, inspiring, and joyful then I could have ever imagined! And not only does it currently take all my time but it also takes all my strength, all my heart, all my prayers, all my energy and all my effort too. IT TAKES IT ALL! All of it! But thankfully it gives back a million fold!

The girls being totally spoiled by their Uncle Terry.

And the outcome of that spoiling...

And they were also spoiled with love and lots of fun for a family celebration of Nanas big 7-0 birthday! But let’s be honest, they are spoiled with love and fun on a daily basis so this wasn’t much different. 

Keagan’s fairy garden she made with Campbell as a birthday gift for Nana.

And in return, maybe because I do Mom so hard and they do take it all, I was blessed enough to be totally spoiled on Mother’s Day! Handmade gifts and cards are my favorite of all favorites and I raked those in this year! I was gleeful! That was probably also because I laid on the couch all day and did absolutely nothing after Nana helped the girls make me breakfast, SO sweet! It was wonderful! 

Otherwise we have been busy as per the usual. We celebrated Sa’s birthday. Riley had a doctors appointment to discuss surgeries and medications that her momma is super stressed about. Keagan brought home more great art and school work she worked seriously hard on. And, Riley made a deer habitat and used her big button to give a presentation to a sweet 1st grade class on it!

Keagan has been diligently working with her teachers and I to prepare for the STAAR Tests (dumb state test) that have been the last two days. Hallelujah that’s over! And Miss Riley had her very last baseball game where we had even more fans come to cheer for her including Gramas, Mrs Laura and Layla, Coach Fox and her daughters, Mrs Brown again and the Hairs! Our last game was all six teams combined and although crowded and crazy it was so full of love, support and inclusion that we couldn’t help but love it!  

Meanwhile, definitely Keagan’s life and some of Riley’s and mine, has revolved around rehearsals and performances for DPAC but that definitely deserves it own blog post! I’m too busy mommin hard tonight for that post, but it should come soon and be a good one! 

Now all this givin everything I’ve got to motherhood talk has got me thinking of one of my favorite Mom quotes by Elder Neil L Anderson and I will close with that. 

“Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a CALLING. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for.” 

So blessed and thankful for my calling of motherhood! Even when it takes it ALL!