6.3.09 Children & Chores

I talked to an old friend whom I haven't talked to in years. She is newly married. When she asked me about myself I said something like "oh you know, my life is all about babies and toddler talk". It's hard to say much of anything else. I can't talk about just myself or Robert and I without mention of Hannah and Noah. My days and nights are centered around them. It is all very intense when you've got to dress, feed bathe, shoe, groom and last but not least love and guide two human beings all day. When you're not doing it, it all sounds, well, boring and really repetitive. Oh it is at times trying and oh so repetitive doing all that I do all day. I feel as if I've lost a part of myself and at times I'm a little bit mournful about it the person I once was. But then I see what a great work it is that I am truly doing. God has allowed me to be a part of creation. I carried these babies in my body for nine months. I gave birth to them through the most immense pain to sudden joy of meeting each of the face to face. Then all the work began.

Right now we're working on getting a routine and chore system going. We've already got a good system for bedtime but we need more because Hannah can do more. So far we've moved her clothes upstairs into her room and are getting her ready there now instead of downstairs in our room or the living room. I bought a hamper for the upstairs that all who stay up there can use to put their clothes in. I'm reading a chore book called "Manager's of their Chores" by the Maxwells. It's really good biblicially based and so far sets out great reasons children should do chores. I'll write more later about that when I read more of the book.