Some Things I Know

Thirty Days of Thankfulness, Day 16

I am always jotting down things in notebooks, on my phone, or in random places on my computer.  There are pieces of poetry, favorite books, quotes that mean something to me, opinions I've written in anger and frustration, and milestones from my children.  I always intend to use these things in daily life somehow, but I rarely end up sharing them with anyone but myself.  Usually, I come upon them at a later time and they don't have nearly the same affect as they did the first time I wrote them.  Six years ago, I kept a document open on my computer's desktop.  I'd write down a tidbit or two here and there, not knowing exactly what I was going to do with it.  Today, I opened up that list for the first time in a long time.  I had expected the things I had written to be outdated or no longer applicable in my life.  What I found instead, was a timeless list of things motherhood has taught me.  I could add so much more to this list in the time since I first wrote it, but here it is, unaltered from six years ago.

Some Things I Know

Its hard to beat a smiling baby, even at 3am.

Laundry doesn't wash itself, fold itself or put itself away.

Meals don't make themselves.

Invariably, the day after you mow your lawn, the neighbor will mow theirs, making yours look long again.

Dads are really good at getting the kids wound up; not so good at winding them down.

If you let milk get old enough, it turns into a solid.

If you let your toddler run around without a diaper, it is a given that he will pee on the floor, whether he actually has to go or not.

Pledge and hardwood floors are not a good combination.

Play clothes never get dirty, but school clothes can get dirty before school even starts.

Juice boxes and suckers are gifts from God.

Babies do the cutest things until the camera is on them.

Going to the grocery store at 10pm is better than taking four kids under the age of 6.

Laziness is never an excuse.

Its actually easier to have four children than two; they entertain each other!

Syrup is not a mom's best friend.

Feeding the kids, packing pajamas, blankets, milk and snacks, and dropping them at grandma's is not worth a 1 hour kid-free meal at a restaurant.

Velcro is one of the best inventions.  Ever.

Kids will eat when they are hungry.

There IS a limit to how much whining one person can endure.

A walk around the block is good for the body AND the mind.

Flowers are always appreciated.

Its better to admit that you don't know an answer than to make one up.

A good night's sleep can fix many things.

You don't ask dad if mom already said "no".

Sometimes it costs more to repair it than to replace it.

People are often underestimated.

Its easier to do a little bit every day than to save it all to do in one day.

I know I don't know everything.

If I don't shower before the kids wake up, there is a good possibility that I won't get the chance until they go to bed that night.

You can never take too many pictures.

People forgive, but they often do not forget.

Sometimes, mother doesn't know best.

People CAN change.

There IS worse pain than childbirth. 

The old saying, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" is actually really good advice.

"Hate" is not a word that should be used lightly.

The act of "airing your grievances" is often enough to make things better.

Life is so fragile and precious; hug your babies.

Don't make assumptions about things you could never understand.

A little less judgement and a little more acceptance would be appreciated.

Life can change with a blink of an eye; for the better or for the worse.


Today, I am thankful for these life lessons that motherhood has taught me, both good and bad.  I think as mothers, we are all just trying to do what is best for our children, raise them right, and have fun along the way.