The Accidental Pastor's Wife

Momma's sweet girl...two months old.

I was chatting with our most advanced in years church member last week, her children are grown and gone, her husband died. I think I was complaining about how much I had to do and hadn't done yet that day.

And she looked at me and said, "Someday you'll be walking around your house looking for something to clean because nothing will be dirty."

I'm young, healthy, and so are my four beautiful kiddos. It's busy, it's messy, it's stressful...but does it have to be? I was reading over at Preschoolers and Peace a while back and something Kendra said really stuck with me: You shouldn't be so focused on the "HAVE TOs" but should instead embrace the "GET TOs": I get to teach my children to read and all about David Livingstone in Africa and how to write a good book report and how to count by tens to 100. I get to prepare delicious meals for them every day. I get to cuddle them all afternoon on the sofa with a good book or a good PBS kids show. I get to help them learn the skills it takes to run a home. I get to give them warm, positive memories of home. AM I?

I mean, what do I really want anyway? A house that has no evidence of children living it and a bunch of free time to myself? Doesn't the Bible say something about how young women should keep busy so they don't become troublesome gossips? (I need to find that verse, but I have a beautiful sleeping baby on my chest and a 5 year old eating eggos in my bed next to me...)

So my prayer this morning is that I will gratefully embrace the noise, the mess, and the busyness. I hope you can, too.

Baby #4 has pushed me to consider shutting down my blog. While she's the most precious, cuddly little peanut, she also doesn't like to sleep more than two or three hours at night and she's confounded her "veteran" mommy on how to change that. Yep, I've read all the books (Babywise, Happiest Baby on the Block, What To Expect, ETC...) I've even swaddled her in the miracle blanket, to no avail.

So, I'm pretty tired, overwhelmed by the chores before me but thoroughly enjoying this new little one. I just don't find I have much intelligent to say.

I have been watching copious amounts of Food Network and did you know that old episodes of Trading Spaces come on TLC at 4 a.m sometimes?

But I've also found a new favorite author in the midst of the busyness:

Marilynne Robinson

I've read her first novel, Housekeeping, and loved it. I'm halfway through Gilead, which won a Pulitzer Prize, and so far I think it's one of the best books I've ever read.

Check back in sometimes and maybe I'll have something to contribute to the conversation. In the meantime, I'll be nursing, cleaning, teaching and reading, and praying for some sleeping!