Ten Ways a Mom Makes a Home---from the Sweet to the NOT-So-Sweet...

Hi Everyone!

A little late in putting up the post today due to technical issues,
 but you all will understand.

In bouncing off of the Handy Hubby's idea from yesterday, 
about how a man makes a home..
.I just thought I would share my top ten ways a mom
makes a home around here.....tongue in cheek of course.

Hope you enjoy them, and be sure to come back tomorrow for an AMAZING post from someone extraordinary, that is giving us a picture of what being a mom means in a completely different culture 
than we are used to.

Can you tell I am excited about that?

I AM.

So don't forget.

You will not want to miss it.

And now........

My Top Ten Ways a Mom Makes a Home

1. IF the mom does not have access to a dishwasher *ahem* then she will do dishes until her hands are prunes and the counters are clean. Only to make another meal and start all over again. If she has a child old enough to help or share the load, it is much less stressful. On the days she is canning, she is buying disposable plates. And hiding them so the three year-olds can not use them for one of the following: masks, umbrellas, kitty's slide for sliding down the steps, circular hats...etc.

2. A mother must learn to be able to scale a mountain of laundry in any given day to actually reach the child sleeping in the top bunk bed who is late for getting up for school. If she is agile enough to leap, or smart enough to just buy a bullhorn, all the better. Then said child lugs twelve loads of laundry downstairs so said mother can then start washing it, only to find all the clothing from a week ago still folded in the bottom of the basket the child brought the dirty laundry down in.

Child then does their laundry, and mom moves on to Number three.

3. The mother must be prepared to make food out of a stale piece of cheese, a partially eaten apple and a slice of day old homemade bread because the native that live under her roof with her have eaten absolutely everything else out of fridge and cupboards, in the space of a morning, and simply can not understand where it all went, who ate it, and that Mom is not made of magic abilities. This happens regularly, which means that mom ends up becoming very creative, planning food weeks ahead, and keeping snacks that could possibly still be good in 12 years if kept in the wrapper and frozen, hidden in the freezer. Or pantry. Or her bedroom. Or the closet.

 4. Letting the cat, or dog, or ferret, in and out and making sure they don't die of neglect. Or feeding the fish, keeping the cat from the fish, mouse, hamster, or whatever. Or the mouse from the pet snake. Imagine any number of scenarios, and this would fit a household somewhere. On the same token, a mother also has to be able to say, gently but firmly, NO to every pet their child brings home that you simply can not add into the schedule. No matter how they plead, or beg, or say that the cute kitten that they just got simply does not like them anymore and this one does. Or that it is not their fault that the hamster took off in his little ball down the stairs and went out into the street, and now they need a new one. Hamster, not ball. You get the drift.

5. A mom must be able to, at all times, be in mobile mode and know where at least two sets of keys are located for various reasons. The forgotten birthday party that happens in thirty minutes, twenty minutes away that your child is just now showing you the invitation for, from her best friend. The loss of one set of keys because your twin three year olds decided that they wanted to see just how far that hole in the floor goes and have been dropping things down for an hour (including the keys). She needs to know where another set of keys is in case the husband's truck does not start and he needs a ride home. Or a child locked their bear in the car earlier and needs it for their nap because they have been crying for twenty minutes. Or the alarm on the car has been going off for the last three minutes and you simply need to get them NOW
to make it stop.

Yes. All true. *sigh*

6. A mom should be willing to do what no-one else is willing to do: think emptying the fridge, cleaning the toilet (especially if there is a male in the house that uses it, ick), washing really gross stuff that you squirm checking the pockets on that came from your child's hamper. If the mom has a child old enough to do some of those things, such as picking up the doggie poo from the backyard, then she needs to learn how to delegate. Immediately. 

And operate a hose to clean the child before they enter the house again.

7. A mom is and should be responsible for making sure the three year old does not wear a swimsuit and tutu to church on Sunday no matter how MUCH SHE WANTS TO. (and of course, then carrying said child kicking and screaming to the car and forcibly strapping them in while they are rag-dolling it). She hopefully is able to convince them that the dress is a "princess dress" and if they just put it on, she will dig through the toys, and find the tiara with the princess on it to match....as well as allow the flashing Dora snowboots to finish out the outfit, even if it is July. Because the child is covered.
For a short time. 

8. More Food. Enough said.

9. My last two are rather serious, and need to be followed just as well as the other ones. Being a mom also means taking care of yourself, because if you don't, no one is going to get taken care of in the end. That means no matter how many dishes you have, or mountain of laundry, or errands to run, or pets to chase, or children to re-dress, etc., sometimes you just need to do what you need to do. If that means breaking out that hidden bar of chocolate, and locking yourself in the closet, then you do it. If it means napping when your exhausted and crazy three year olds finally fall asleep on the twentieth rendition of "Three Little Kittens", then you lay against the door so they can not escape without you knowing, and take a nap too. If it means you are ill and school has to take a back burner for the day, do it. Moms are the heartbeat of the home, and honestly, if you break down, the whole circus breaks down right along with you. It also helps teach your children that they are NOT the center of the universe, and to have compassion for someone who needs compassion. Kids are great at that if you start them young. :)

10. Finally, a mom is a warrior when it comes to covering her home and family in prayer. With all the fun and laughter, the craziness and stress of raising children, keeping a home, and breathing passion and loyalty into a marriage, she recognizes that above all else, her life is not her own. It is a blessing, and each one placed under her roof to love, and protect and serve, and admonish is a blessing as well. I can not honestly tell you how many times I have been pulling my hair out, and the Lord has laid on my heart to just stop and pray....and suddenly I find myself calmer, more peaceful, and able to be the wife and mother that I need to be. I am reminded daily of that verse that says "But he said to me: My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

What about you?

What do you see as one of the roles that a mother has to play in keeping her home and family?

Blessings to you and yours,

Heather