We get in there and I have two boxes on my right hip, my toddler on my left hip and this huge gigantic belly in the middle. The line was fairly short. I thought I was in the clear! Well Boston starts whining. The really loud annoying whine he so frequently does. So I put him down and let him play by me. Next thing I know he’s running. Running around the post office and just laughing because he knows I am too huge to catch him! I said to the lady in front of me, “and this is why I don’t run errands with him”! And the lady quickly responded, “but one day they’ll grow up and you’ll be running your errands all alone”.
I don’t know why but for some reason this struck me. As much as I hate running errands with Boston. And I mean HATE it. It’s absolutely awful. There will be a day when that little monster is all grown up and I’ll wish for these moments. These moments when your little disaster is running around the Post Office pulling all the bags and boxes off the walls, or trying to pull down the window shades to play peek-a-book. President Thomas S. Monson, said “Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of ‘what if’ and ‘if only’…” He goes on to say, “Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey and share our love with friends and family. One day, each of us will run out of tomorrows. Let us not put off what is most important“.
My family is the most important thing in my life. It doesn’t mean I need to love running errands with a two year old, those 3 am feedings and the food all over my shirt. It doesn’t mean I need to love never having time to get ready or wearing out of style clothes because we’re saving for a rainy day. It simply means that my family is my priority. That I put them above ALL else in this world. No harsh words for a tantrum, no raising my voice when Boston throws his food all over the floor. It means I love them and am as patient as I can possibly be. And when my patience runs out? It’s about relying on the Lord to help you go on. It’s the only way to make it through the day sometimes. Knowing that there is a strength beyond your own.
So- here’s to being a better mother. A better wife, friend, sister and neighbor.
Never let a problem to be solved become more important that a person to be loved.
I am a mother of four kids and have really been struggling with sleep on my last little baby. One night she woke up and I was beside myself wondering what to do. After trying all sorts of things, I finally concluded that I just needed to lay her down and let her cry-we had a big problem that we needed to fix. I sat down on my bed and offered up a silent prayer between her wailings. I asked Heavenly Father to please help me to know if what I was doing was right. I then grabbed my iPod next to my bed, opened the web browser, and was reading this post within seconds. Your bold words quoting President Monson stood out to me and I knew it was a direct answer to my prayer: Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved.” I quickly put down my iPod and nearly ran to her crib, scooped her up, and did what I know she needed: to be loved. We can work through problems later. Thanks for helping me to get my answer to prayer and for helping me to remember what is important.
Tamarie, you made me cry! I’m so grateful you posted this. I’ve been trying to figure out my purpose as a blogger… to make a long story short. I’m glad I could help. Or President Monson! Good luck with your baby, those are THE worst moments. Trying to soothe a baby when you want nothing more than to sleep. It will pass and you’ll be glad you cuddled her/him all you could when you could.
what a sweet post Abby! I love this, sucha good reminder as my hubby and I are about to have our first baby here in about a month!
Can’t wait to see pictures of your new addition!
I thought I was the only one who HATES running errands with my kiddos. Thanks for some perspective.
So true! I am a military wife and I have a wall dedicated to “find joy in the journey” Thanks for the reminder today.
Dear Abby,
I would like to wish you, first of all, the greatest year, since so many of your dreams are about to come true and I truly wish you the best, eventhough I do not know you in person; but I guess that when a person decides to share a bit of her life with total strangers, and those on the other side decide to follow those flashes willingly, effortlessly and eagerly we kind of become friends. I´m from Portugal, I do not post very often but I follow your blog daily, anticipating with excitment what the news are going to be this time, never disappointing and always revigorated and inspired. Secondly I’d like to thank you for letting a door open for us, so that we could appreciate the way you’ve evolved into someone so inspiring, so creative, so meticulous, so spontaneous, but above all, so genuinely true to yourself. Thank you, for I have also grown with you. I’ll keep on coming here, visiting you, hoping that if you come to my country one day, I’ll have the pleasure of welcoming you personally, opening then the doors of my house to you and hoping that you’ll feel at ease, just like I do, everytime I come to your blog. Cheers to you doll! Keep on being very Happy!
kiss
https://cottoncandy-peaches.blogspot.com/
Aida, thank you so much for your sweet words of encouragement. I am happy to share when I have wonderful friends like you reading. And if I am ever in Portugal, I must come visit!!!
Well said! And we all need this reminder sometimes!
Wow did I raise a great daughter or what? You continue to amaze! Love from your very own mother who is happy you survived childhood!