Catholic Family Vignettes

The last few days have been rather hectic. Alas, when are they not? House cleaning, homeschooling, chauffeuring, catering, doctoring, mothering...it's easy to get tangled up in the "Martha-ness" of the everyday, and miss those "Mary" moments. As I've struggled for the last few weeks to manage the husband's schedule, the college student's schedule, the homeschool schedule, Schola and Mass schedule; I've somehow missed my schedule; the one I keep to recollect myself...prayer, contemplation and devotional reading. Considerable back pain and sleeplessness provide additional challenges (just in case the "schedules" aren't' challenge enough!)

So my tank is a little low, right now.

But God is good! Over the past few days, as I've lamented my shrinking "down-time", I've been given so many lovely gifts. These gifts are God-given reminders of what joy there is...and it isn't in my "down-time":

I've been privileged to spend the early morning hours with my college-age daughter during our daily commute. We've had stimulating and lively conversations, shared a few jokes and irritations, even read an outstanding essay together.

I've observed the burgeoning maturity of my teenage son. How willingly and strongly he leads! Building dollhouses for little sisters, taking younger siblings on walks to the woods, teaching his brother proper safety for his new air rifle. And today. Listening to him tell his younger siblings how proud he was that they had behaved so well, in the local farmer's market. That he was proud to be their brother.

I listened to my little girl laugh with such gleeful abandon, as I pushed her higher and higher in the swing.

I saw the gleam of understanding in my son's eyes as a difficult math concept suddenly made sense.

I watched my youngest daughter comfort her brother as a thorn was removed from his foot, offering him an artificial flower to soothe his pain.

I saw the pride and joy in my husband's eyes...every morning as I kissed him goodbye and every evening, as he was greeted by his loving family. How joyful and chaotic the welcome! Each child begging to be the one to carry dad's coffee mug, his water jug, his lunch pail...such willing vassals to their Lord!

And so very, very many more "vignettes"...I'm sure you understand...they are the everyday graces, the small treasures of the vocation of motherhood.

I'm in such excellent "company".

Everyday.

Yet...the kitchen floor still needs to be mopped. The laundry needs folding. The carpet needs vacuuming. The toilets need scrubbing.

Everyday.

I pray, that in eternity, my children will stand as a greater witness to my love of God and man, than my clean dishes will.

I pray, that their loving hearts, prayers and faith will speak far more eloquently than a well-vacuumed carpet.

I pray, that the trust my husband has in me, as he daily struggles to sustain this large family, will be greatly rewarded in Heaven and that we will share that eternity, together.

Thank you, my Lord and my God, for placing me in such good company!