Being a stay at home mother is not an easy task and there have been plenty of moments of discouragement. For instance, handling a screaming infant and not knowing what to do is enough to make me want to scream as well. What's even worse than that is when it's dinner time, I have no idea of what to make, and the baby is screaming while hanging on my legs, irritatingly demanding my attention. Banging my head on the counter is very inviting during such times. Even though I am a woman, there are only so many things I can do all at once.
Then, there is the weekly drowning in monotonous piles of laundry and having little motivation for finishing just four loads in one day. On top of always failing to finish folding and putting away the small loads of laundry, the kitchen is often a disaster, the rest of the house rarely gets a good cleaning, and at night, it's all I can do to just forget it all and get some much needed rest.
While having no place to go most days and lacking a satisfying amount of adult conversation, compiled with everything else a housewife and mother deals with, everyday life can be a downright recipe for disaster or (more common in my case) insanity.
Marjorie Pay Hinkley once said, "As you create a home, don't get
distracted with a lot of things that have no meaning for you or your
family. Don't dwell on your failures, but think of your successes. Have
joy in your home. Have joy in your children. Have joy in your husband.
Be grateful for the journey."
I have oft times been inspired or strengthened by her words. If I forget to find joy in my journey, life is miserable. It is so easy to get caught up in the stressful, discouraging, and tiresome things that happen each day. Nevertheless, I've learned how to find joy as Marjorie suggests and it has been a great blessing to me.
The joy I have found in my home consists of many things. For example, when it comes to the dreaded laundry, I find joy in being able to make my own laundry detergent and softener. My joy increases ten-fold when my homemade stain remover works better than anything I have ever used before. My little boy's clothes look amazing!
Thanks to Pinterest, I have found joy in decorating and organizing my home.
Cleaning the bathroom and kitchen, mopping floors, vacuuming, picking up after my baby Jae, are tasks I have found to be very therapeutic. That is something to be joyful about! Life is even more grand and exhilarating when the house is clean.
I find joy in having a child that is healthy and strong. He is a speedy little thing, and I'm glad he enjoys exploring and making messes. It keeps him happy and occupied whether he is inside or outside of the house. I love watching him play and discover new things. If I were a working mom, I would miss so much.
Baby Jae loves to smile, chatter, and giggle. That makes me happy as well. Even though Jae can scream very loud at times, and for no reason most of the time, I'm grateful that he has strong lungs and is vocal.
The little guy loves his mommy and daddy, and what does that do? Bring even more joy to my heart that I can say. I love my Jae Buddy so much!
My husband also brings me great joy. He is loving and adoring towards me and Jae. He helps around the house and plays with Jae any chance that he gets. . I oft times wake in the mornings to find he has washed the dishes left out from the night before and I never find a trace of his things lying about. Being clean and organized is one of his admirable habits, and what a relief that is! I don't have to pick up after my kid (and the others to come) as well as my husband.
He loves spending his free time with me and Jae. How grateful I am that he enjoys that and sacrifices his wants and desires to do so! I certainly enjoy spending quality time with him each evening when he isn't at school or doing church responsibilities.
James, the love of my life, works hard at his job and is diligent in working towards getting his master's degree. I find joy that I married a hard working man who supports me and makes it possible for me to stay home and take care of our baby boy.
My list can go on and on, but I will end it here. I want to state that I know that finding joy in my everyday journey through life is what gets me through without falling into complete insanity. Dwelling on the failures is destructive. Finding success and joy builds a happy home, life, and family. I'm grateful to have the abundant life that I live.
