Well, we have moved and I find myself in what can only be categorized as a hands-off-mom hell. A neighborhood. Sure, I have great neighbors, I am close to town, my kids have someone to play with. It's all fun and games, til the door bell rings. I am just not used to this. In our old wilderness house, no one ever just stopped by. We were not on the way to anything and anyone wishing to see us called to make sure they wouldn't miss us. We have had more visitors in the last 3 weeks than we had in the 15 years we lived at our other house. It's been a real adjustment. Bra day is now 3 times a week, and I only spend the day in pajamas on Saturday.
About ten seconds after we moved in, we received a call from the bishopric of our new ward. They wanted to "welcome us". That's Mormon speak for "we want you to do something hideous". They came over to visit and as it turns out, are very nice guys. Brother Patterson said that he couldn't wait for us to be introduced to the rest of the ward members.
" So, are you throwing us a party?"
"No, we want you to speak."
"Speak to whom?"
"The ward."
"Did they do something wrong?"
I knew at once that I was not going to win this one, so we said yes and got it over with last weekend. The whole family spoke, and I must say, it was very nice. Tuesday when I got the mail there was a thank you note from one of the ward members. As long as I live, I will never have my stuff that together. I'm just sayin'.
So, we moved into this new house, and I was bound and determined to keep up with housework. Oh, my gosh! It never ends. I start at the crack of dawn and do laundry and pick up crap and hang things up and make the kids read and do homework and wipe their feet and bathe and brush their teeth and stop fighting, I pass out around 11 p.m. and the whole thing starts over the next day. I work so hard to keep on top of everything, but the kids still end the day looking like the cast of Oliver. It's exhausting. Oh, Oh, and the worst part-the more you do, the more they expect. Now it's like, if there are no towels, somehow it's my fault. The up side to all of these expectations? I wield a lot more power these days. I have learned a wonderful new phrase. "You can't go play until your room is picked up."
I am the master and commander. I am Mom.
