Alexander Family's Big Adventure: Why I love my cluttered and chaotic life

Ouch. Just stepped on a Lego.

There's poop on the toilet again.

"I don't want this EVER!" (Lilly)

Has anyone seen a clean, flat surface lying around?

"Get your finger out of your nose." (Me.)

Slinking down the steps before getting ready for school.

"I hate this soup! And I don't want peanut butter and jelly!" (The power of three.)

Laundry. Mounds and mounds of it.

My sleep was interrupted 6 times last night. I ONLY HAVE FOUR KIDS!

12 infections requiring intervention in October and November. (Did I mention that I only have four kids?!)

... But the good thing is that all of this, all of THIS, the craziness that is in my life, is there because I have four little kids at home, and a beautiful, wonderful, still sometimes unbelievable family.

I honestly love the Legos. They are everywhere. It's okay, though. It's a good way for me to relate to the boys, and I'm hopeful it will last into their youth. They hurt quite a bit when you step down on them, but now I just walk around the house light-footed like a ninja. That also helps me to scare David half to death. I did it hilariously on our honeymoon. It remains one of my favorite pastimes to this day.

I have a great life. I'm tired, don't get me wrong. I'm ALWAYS tired. But moms are usually tired, I think. Moms remember. Everything. And when moms forget because we can't really remember everything, moms have more work because of it.

Moms fill every role. We abate. Berate. Comfort. Defend. Encourage. Finalize. Generate. Hug. Instruct. Judge. Kiss. Love. Memorize. Nag. Overrule. Praise. Query. Remember. Synchronize. Tally. Understand. Video. Wait. Examine. Yell. And see our children as a zenith in our lives.

And we do all of that in the first hour of our day, most days!

I know other moms who are very tired. (I'm thinking of you, MBS.) I want to tell the tired moms that your good deeds and tireless, unending efforts do not go unnoticed. True, your husband may not notice. Perhaps he underestimates your work and overestimates his contributions. Your children may not notice. They may be at an age when they're just too little to understand, or too self-involved to take note. Your parents may not notice. They may think you're not doing an adequate job or you're doing it incorrectly. Your friends may not notice. They may judge you for having too many kids in this awful world, or not having enough kids when this awful world needs more good people like you. But God always notices. Always.

So keep your chin up, Tired Mom. You can do this. You're strong, too strong to quit. You're needed, whether they know it or not. You're worthy, no matter what the people around you might say. And your work IS noticed, and your work will be rewarded.

“Restrain your voice from weeping

and your eyes from tears,

for your work will be rewarded,”

declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 31:16