Making time for what really matters

Last night I didn't get much sound sleep to speak of because of a crazy, possessed boy child; who will not be named. Because of said loss of sleep I slept in late and and was a zombie for most of the day. I was really counting on Luke taking a good nap but he was not having it. I think he was going on strike from sleep and I was being dragged into his deranged plan! Poor guy has been teething so to give him some credit he is not usually up all night.

He finally decided it was a losing battle and conked out. I couldn't decide what to do first. Should I put away all the mounting piles of laundry, clean the school room, mop the floors, catch up on some blogging, get an early start on dinner?? Decisions, decisions... I finally decided I better get the school room put together so I wouldn't be overwhelmed tomorrow. As I was about to start I heard a little sweet voice say, "Mommy, will you play a game with me?" It was Ellie, she had actually been asking me all day to play a game with her but I literally could not because Luke was being impossible. I almost said no but I knew the school room and everything else could wait; at least for a little bit and she really is so much fun to play with.

I don't always say yes because sometimes I just can't; especially when everyone and everything is constantly in need of my attention and care. Many times in the day I can't even distinguish what each individual child is asking me because they are all asking at once. When this happens I admit that I often yell at everyone to be quiet because I can't even think let alone hear anyone. Though I fail daily I really want to give them the individual attention that they need and crave as much as possible, even if that means taking one of them food shopping with me alone.

I try to take them each on a special date when I can. I love that they want to spend time with me. Seeing their faces light up when we go out together is priceless. Some of them are very quiet and some of them can't contain all they want to tell me, when they have me all to themselves. I don't take for granted that my big boys are not embarrassed to still hold my hand when we are out in public. So sweet!

When I am home and busy with school, housework and a psycho but irresistible toddler it can be hard for me to stop what I am doing and play with my kids. But while they are asking I want to say yes as much as reasonably can. The days will come when they won't be asking me to play uno, house, legos and go fish and I know I will be so happy I said yes to making memories with them that will last far beyond a clean house.

I hope when they look back on their childhood they will have fond memories, not of having a perfect mom or living in a perfectly clean house but of  an imperfect mother who failed many times but by the grace of God admitted when she was wrong and got down on her knees to their level and played Uno when she could.

Here are some games that we enjoy playing together:

Guess who- where to buy
Scrabble- where to buy
Cranium- where to buy
Uno- where to buy

Is it hard for you to stop what you are doing sometimes and play with your kids?

How do you find ways to spend quality time with your children?


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