A New Year

My mom once told me that we are so blessed to have so many new beginnings....so many chances to start over. A new year. A new month. A new day. A new minute.

I can't tell you how many times that has inspired me to be better. Even though I may have been a crabby mother last week, this week I am going to be a happy mother....Even though a minute ago I was freaking out over the third "accident" for the day...I will be calm for the next five minutes.

Anyways, this year I have decided to learn to juggle children and housework more efficiently and JOYFULLY. So I've come up with a system to cut down clutter, idleness, and grumpiness in my life. Thanks to a patient husband who simply loves me and all my "systems."

So a few things I am doing differently:

• a chore list for myself to keep track of what needs to be done and when to do it.
• a routine for us and the kids that is very structured and yet very flexible
• quiet time bins for Katie (a big fat lifesaver)
• laundry every day instead of one big session

I Am A Wiper

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I wipe noses
I wipe bums.
I wipe foreheads
I sometimes wipe up blood

I wipe up spills
and dribbles and smudges
I should wipe down the crayon
off the hallway wall

I wipe off sticky fingers
and dirty little faces
I wipe off mud
and dirt and sand

I wipe up messes, accidents,
and experiments
I wipe up mistakes
I wipe up "FUN"

I wipe away tears
I wipe away sadness,
discouragement, and fear
I wipe out loneliness
and wipe away doubts

I am a "wiper"
I am s mother.