children, life

Priorities —

39acAt first glance my priorities  seem very basic, and concrete, like:

  • Do the laundry
  • Do dishes
  • Get homework done
  • Make sure kids are safe.

I get up at 5 and make sure Colleen gets on her bus, then Ryan goes, and I know Gayle is getting Chris off to school.  Our family team is taking care of our kids and everyone is safe and secure.  Rog goes to work and I do work and school and try and build the Avon business.

I just felt this morning like I needed to sort out what our highest priorities are – I just don’t want to be in the position of the urgent ruling over the little moments of importance – of being so busy that we don’t have time to sit with a child for a moment or have a cup of tea with a loved one.  I want to take the minutes of being able to see little things the children are doing that are really unique and encouraging, and not overlooking them because I’m too busy doing homework or getting a job out.  I also want to treasure the minutes with Rog, Gayle, Chuck, my mom, and all our other relatives and our friends as well, and not only see them when I’m not busy working.

What I’m grateful for is that as a family through the years we have been good with getting our kids out to lots of different experiences and situations, both as a whole family and sometimes with just one or two of the kids.  I am happy that we can look back and remember (and look at pictures too) of all thfarm park 007e events we have attended as a family, as well as times that we just played at home.  There are moments of aggravation and stress, too, of course, trying to please everyone and having things go wrong, but I am really glad we at least try.

4I think back to trips, like when we went to North Carolina in 97 and then Port Clinton in 04 and 05.  I am really glad we did this, even though at the time it was hard.  We had a lot of fun and have good memories of these trips.  But also I am glad we do things like yesterday when Rog drove us out to his hometown and showed the boys his old house he grew up at, and other times we just drive to McDonald’s and get chicken nuggets.

So, even though at this point I think of priorities and I think of things like, get my transcription done this week before our trip out of town (business) on Monday, and study for my biology test, it will also include enjoying watch Chris eat a piece of cheese that he loves and treasuring his laugh, looking at Colleen’s beautiful artwork, and hearing Ryan sing the melody of one of our church songs yesterday and actually recognizing it (“Your Grace is Enough”), and taking the time to enjoy a good meal with Rog alone at times.  All of these things add up to a life of meaning and priority.

 

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