Stay-at-Home Mom, Sick Kids & Lent...

I've always thought the word "stay-at-home mom" to be a bit of an oxymoron at best.  For some, a vision of  a lady sitting on the couch, watching soap operas and eating bonbons quickly comes to mind when this particular term is used.  For those of us who live it, a more accurate view would be a gal who is the chauffeur to and from school; the maker of lunches; the taxi driver to any and all sport practices, games and dance classes; the doer, folder and putter-upper of laundry; the homework commander; the maid; the nurse; the listener of books (and other daily stories); the signer of all forms; the cook (ok, I use that term loosely); the hairdresser; the referee; the runner of errands;  and oh so much more!  In short, the one thing a stay-at-home mom often dreams of is, in fact, a day at home!

That is, until she is the stay-at-home mom of sick children (yes, that is the plural form...not 1 sick child, not even just 2, but maybe, yes, maybe 3 - 3 sick children...all at the same time).  I am talking about sick children as in the kind with high fevers and pneumonia-like coughs and/or those with strep or something of the sort that is considered contagious....the kinds of illnesses that suddenly confine a family to their own home.  A few days of such illness is one thing and certainly fine for the stay-at-home mom to handle...but you extend those few days to a couple of weeks and the stay-at-home mom might just start to lose it!  Leaving the house for doctor's appointments or quick trips to the pharmacy do not even remotely count as having left the house as the said sick child is usually with you.  You see, it isn't that, under normal conditions, we go somewhere every single day (though in many cases, we do)...rather it is the simple knowledge that with sick children, one cannot go somewhere that really starts to mess with the  mind.  The extra snuggling and time spent with one's child/children is great but as time progresses, the mind really does begin to boggle.

I have been that stay-at-home mom the past couple of weeks.  And so, I have had ample time to ponder all of this and many other things.  In the midst of all of the illness, it seems Lent snuck its way onto the calendar.  Being raised a Methodist only to become a Baptist, I must admit, that last year was the first year I gave up anything for Lent.  It was just never something we were taught much about as children...at least not that I recall...and from what I know, it isn't something that most Baptists choose to follow, either.  Last year though, as an adult, I made that choice regardless of religion.  I chose to give up my beloved Hot Tamales candy -a true sacrifice for me as I could safely say I am addicted to the little red things.  Fast forward to the other day when, in the midst of all my babies being sick and being half sick myself, I realized it was Lent...and I thought back on my previous experience.  Did I manage to give up my candies for the entire Lenten season?  Yes, in fact, I did.  Did I go right back to having them often once Lent was over? You better believe it!  But did this sacrifice bring me any closer to God or change my relationship with Christ?  No, I really can't say that it did.  Soooo, this week as I thought about what, if anything, I should give up for Lent, I struggled with the answer.  I mean what is the point if nothing is gained?  And then ...like a ton of bricks, it hit me.  I am to sacrifice my time...spend more of it with God...giving more of it to Him.  I don't have to set a specific amount of time or give up a food or a hobby or Facebook or any other modern day convenience.  Rather, I must spend more time with God...on God...for God.  Much like the stay-at-home mom yearns for a simple day at home, God wants simple time with me.  OR much like the stay-at-home mom who is going cRaZy being confined to home with her sick children and wants to run away, God wants me to run away with Him.  Finding the time will be hard...making the time will be a challenge...using the time for Christ will be so worth it...just as it is for the mom who finally sees her children well again.


 

The Princess in [Puppy] Love!

The other day, my daughter got in the car just a chirping away about how she'd had a fun day, how great today was, how she loved today, etc, etc, etc, all because she got to play with one Mr Landon Chapa!  This was a repetitive conversation (with her being the only one talking) all the way home from school. Fast forward to a few minutes of us being home and she's in the bathroom washing her hands, talking to herself, when I hear her say: I'm gonna marry Landon Chapa because I looovvee him - he's soooo funny! She's 6 - should I be worried? ;)

Landon would be the little boy in the red shirt...next to Alli

On the flip side, 10 years from now when she is experiencing her share of broken hearts, I hope there's a Landon Chapa out there who will make her heart happy and her days fun, if nothing else, because he is her friend. Fast forward many years down the road, I do hope the guy she chooses to marry will in fact, be funny - funny enough to make her laugh. He will get the same in return from her. In six short years, she has brought me many a laugh and smile to my face.

Alli trying to pull Landon as they "do the holding hand thing"