The Reason I Smile

My husband and I had our first four kids in four years, and we are so thrilled to be expecting our fifth baby in July. Our oldest child is five so our kids are obviously close in age. Each of our children has been planned and prayed for, and YES, we definately want more!

It seems that everywhere I go, I get the “you sure have your hands full” type comments. It is true. My hands are indeed full. But I sometimes wonder why this is such a shocking concept to some people. I love how full my hands are! I hope they get more and more full every year!

I change a lot of diapers. I pick up a lot of toys. I wipe a lot of noses and wash a lot of little hands. I scrub my toilets (and the floors beneath the toilets and the walls near the toilets) nearly every day because I have a four-year-old boy with terrible aim. The floor constantly needs to be swept, swept, and swept again. The laundry never ends. My favorite chore is mowing the lawn because it is the only thing that stays done for a week at a time.

I homeschool my kids. I am active in church callings and activities. I cook and bake from scratch because three of our kids have Celiac Disease and require special diets in order to stay healthy. I scrapbook and keep meticulous journals for each member of our family. I plant a garden every year. I can and freeze fresh produce and meat, and I store food and household supplies. I take the kids on lots of outings and field trips, we do a lot of craft projects and a lot of exploring. I spend all day with my kids, everything I do in a day is with them, for them, about them, or because of them. I am constantly busy, constantly moving, it seems I only sit down to nurse my baby.

Yes, my days are full of “work,” but they are also full of beautiful babies, sticky kisses, singing, dancing, laughing. It is bliss. Busy bliss sometimes, but definately bliss. I love my life! It is full. It is beautiful. I wouldn’t want things any other way.

With my hands so full, I have never had a better reason to smile!