Homemaking: Joy In The Small Things

Being a "full time" wife and mother is not always an intentional choice. I get that, I'm a big fan of working mom's, female professionals... Something that this world has always desperately needed. But for me being a full time wife, mom and homemaker was an intentional choice. It has been the richest and most blessing filled part of my life. That's not to say that it doesn't come without it's struggles though. 

I'm writing this post on a day when I am at home alone. This is a very odd occurrence in my current life, being alone I mean. I am rarely ever alone and I find the duality of that and the fact that I used to crave massive amounts of alone time, rather comical. Brandon is away for work, the big kids are finishing up the end of their school year and Gemma is spending a few days with her grandparents. 

When I sat down to plan this week I wasn't thinking about myself, my week. I was thinking about preparing everyone else for their week which really is the essential occupation of my life right now. I treasure that and even though sometimes it is a burden that I struggle to carry I would be incredibly unhappy without it.

So what is homemaking? The word evokes visions of women in aprons and perfectly manicured nails preparing elaborate meals and ironing countless mens shirts. Or it did. Homemaking has become something incredibly different for my generation. Whereas many women used to end up with their heads in the oven instead of a casserole, my generation has taken the basis of homemaking and motherhood and transformed it into not only an occupation but a lifestyle. A very enjoyable one at 

that!

"Home is the foundation upon which great foundations are built. It is the sacred dwelling where souls are forged, children are cherished, and marriage is regarded as holy."

Sally Clarkson

Essentially it can be whatever we need it to be. Not only has the traditional definition of the word family become an extremely fluid concept, homemaking has too. In my case, I am a more traditional homemaker. I don't earn an income, I stay at home with my children most of the time. I plan our meals (pretty poorly!) and maintain almost all of the "house work". This is what works for me and my family. 

So it only makes sense that because the majority of my time is spent figuratively "filling the buckets of other people" that there are times when I find myself searching for more. More opportunities for either creativity or expression. More ways in which my existence can be defined... There are things that I'm good at or interested in that exist completely outside of motherhood and homemaking. Naturally those things get less of my time and attention and that is truly my choice.  A choice I make everyday. Those things are usually saved for days like these when I find myself quietly and unexpectedly without obligation. The rest of my days are filled with tasks completed for myself yes, but mostly for the people that I love so much. 

Because I have chosen to do with my life something that I greatly love and find purpose in I am able to see beauty in all of it. Sometimes I see it in a bowl of fresh strawberries and sometimes I see it in toddler sized muddy footprints on the kitchen floor. Either way as fleeting as these things are I will continue to count myself lucky to witness them, to facilitate them, to be right in the middle of them...

XOXO

Miranda