Grateful To Be Needed

So as a stay at home mom I frequently get asked what do you do all day?  It is funny how I never quite know what to say at that moment.  Thoughts run through my head like what do I do all day?  I seem very busy but I can't quite put my finger on it.  Then I go through fazes where I feel like I am not quite doing enough or I am falling short in some way.  So, I decided to post what it is I do exactly.  I will preface this by saying that I am not at all griping or complaining.  I simply am trying to help myself to feel a little better about some of the things that aren't quite getting done that I know should be getting done.  

Here is my life in a nutshell this past week:   

The common answer to what I do all day is a half-truth.  I clean every day-some basic stuff and some deep cleaning.  I do laundry, care for my kids the best I know how, shovel snow-for myself and the neighbors, exercise every morning, get in some sort of spiritual reading each night before my nightly routine of musical beds begins and I try to encourage my three children to stay in bed and out of mine throughout the night.  

Here is the other half of the truth.  I am a Wolf leader in Cub Scouts with 11 crazy boys.  I plan an activity each week for den meetings and I keep track of their progress and order their awards as necessary.  I made a nice dinner for friends that we had over and we shared our Family Home Evening with them.  Addie had a sharing day at school which we went to see what she is learning and let her feel good about herself.  Hayden is in Valley Voices, Addie is in dance and takes piano lessons from grandma.  I helped out 4 different friends this week by watching their kids, went to parent/teacher conferences, and met with the language therapist to learn how to help Jase talk.  I am the captain of my volleyball team, and I am trying to put together a Ragnar (running race) team for this summer.  I cook occasionally at the Senior Center and two nights a month I put in hours at the fitness center to pay for my membership there.  I have been struggling with my mother-in-laws health issues, and we have eaten mac and cheese one night and corn dogs another night this week.  So much for exercising!  I always sing my kids a song before telling them I love them and giving them a kiss goodnight.  I allow time for playing with my friends and family, learning to style my new haircut, blogging, and facebooking.  I take care of most of the issues that deal with our condo-renting, cleaning, paying, meetings, oh shoot, I haven't checked the hot tub in a while-ooops!  And no mom, I haven't ordered my new couch yet.  I know it has been nearly two years but I still haven't gotten around to it.  And this week I am lucky enough to have a day off Friday-all the kids will be home and Bryce wants to take us to Rock Springs to visit my family-whom I miss so much!  Then I get to prepare for two hours of nursery on Sunday, ward choir practice, and occasionally a meeting.

So with all this, I am not going to get down on myself for not having Addie practice the piano more than she did, some days only brushing my kids teeth once, having mac 'n cheese and corndogs for dinner, still not sewing the patches on my scout uniform 3 months after getting it, not joining the PTO, I recorded over Addie's horse riding, not answering my phone every time it rings, not getting an ad in the paper for the condo like my husband asked, doing too many crosswords to "relax", sorry I didn't help my friend Sarah move, Jase wears his pajamas most days, not eating quite right, Ragnar team not put together yet, I don't make Bryce breakfast, or lunch.... or dinner, and we currently have no milk in our fridge.  I better quit right there or I just might get down on myself!

To put it briefly, I was feeling overwhelmed and depressed earlier.  Since I have done this post I have changed the title from "Too Busy" to realizing how "Grateful I Am To Be Needed".  I am glad I have others in my life so I don't think about myself so much.   I have much to be grateful for and it is a beautiful day outside so let's go enjoy it!