My new motto.

So last week or so as I was getting Olivia ready to go to sleep a thought occurred to me. I'd like to write it down somewhere, and share it. It's really changed my attitude. First of all, let me tell you getting Olivia ready for bed is something I do not look forward to. She screams the entire time, fights me, now tries to stand up and run away... and it can be a 20 minute ordeal just to get her diaper changed and into her PJ's. (Sometimes she's good and cooperative, and it takes 5 minutes, I just never know.) So ANYWAY, as I was sooo tired from a long day, the last thing I wanted was the struggle to get her into her PJ's, nurse her, rock her, sing to her... I just wanted to go to bed.

Then a thought hit me.

Hard.

It's a BLESSING, not a CHORE. I was reminded how of many nights I cried because I wanted THIS, exactly this so badly. I couldn't believe the feelings in my heart were anything but gratitude for the blessing of being able to rock my child to sleep. I thought of friends who would give anything for this blessing, that I was thinking of as a chore. I cried. And my attitude changed. That night. About putting Olivia to bed. (Even now sometimes I need to remind myself of my new motto.)

The next day a sink full of dishes were waiting. There were at least 4 loads of laundry that needed to be done. A floor to be mopped. All my "chores". But then I saw them in a new light also. I thought of how lucky we are to have dishes to wash, and a sink to wash them in. I am so grateful that we enough clothes to require 4 loads (and then some!). I was espcially grateful my husband wasn't home to help me. Because he has a good job, that allows the lifestyle we have. Maybe they are still chores, but to me it suddenly felt like a blessing.

I've been saying over and over reminding myself...

It's a blessing, not a chore.

The funny thing is, now I ask Aaron, "Do you want the blessing of doing the dishes tonight, or the blessing of getting Olivia ready for bed?" :)