Accomplishment

Through various social networking sites, I have seen a number of my mommy friends post all kinds of amazing things they have done this week. We are talking making quilts, painting closets, assembling toys, running rediculously long distances in rediculously fast speeds, planning lessons, teaching lessons, reading book, cleaning stains, creating newsletters, attending meetings, fixing broken furniture, and many other kinds of productive projects that require skill, patience, time, and attention.

I got to feeling low today when I started measuring myself against those other women. Why do I do that? Why do we (we meaning women) do that?

Anyway, as I was feeling all low and unsuccessful I decided to create a list of all the things I have done today. I am surprised at how much better it made me feel.

• Dressed my girls.
• Put Emma's hair in pig tails. She LOVES pig tails.
• Went visiting teaching.
• Did a load of laundry.
• Wrote 2 chapters worth of a lesson plan on a Virginia Woolf book.
• Read 12 books to my kids.
• Took pictures of my girls reading books.
• Congratulated Sara a bazillion times for going peepee on the potty. Toddlers pee a lot. Have I mentioned we are now a diaper free home except at nighttime? Yayness!
• Pet the cat.
• Fed the cat.
• Hugged my girls.
• Fed my girls.
• Unloaded the dishwasher.
• Loaded the dishwasher.
• Unloaded the dishwasher.
• Loaded half the dishwasher.
• Marvelled at how many dishes had been crammed into my little sink. Didn't think I was that far behind. . .
• Called Ross at work.
• Commented on some facebook stati.
• Chatted with a distressed friend.
• Checked my e-mail.
• Wrote an e-mail.
• Practiced some primary songs on the piano.
• Sang someprimary songs with my girls.
• Pushed my girls on the swing.
• Warmed up my girls' hands when they got cold from swinging.
• Wiped my girls' noses when they got cold from swinging.
• Congratulated the cat on vanquishing another mouse.
• Had a tickle war with my girls. I won. I always win!
• Gave Jack a little talking to about kicking me in the same spot so many times it bruises.
• Complained about my round ligament pain- but only twice.
• Went on a short walk.
• Read some blogs.
• Found out that there is a third Narnia movie coming out in December.
• Called Ross at work again to tell him that there is a third Narnia movie coming out in December.
• Prayed that my dad would get word about the job he applied for at the VA.
• Texted my dad to congratulate him on getting a job at the VA.
• Called Ross at work. What? I missed him today.
• Made the couch-bed in the front room.
• Watched a movie with the girls.
• Made crepes for dinner. They are Ross's favorite.

Now I can add writing a blog post to that list!

I realize that most of these things are fairly simple and inconsequential, and only one of them will reap any kind of monetary benefit- but I felt much more accomplished and productive seeing it all written out like that. Even in retrospection, some of the silly things that I saw as relaxing and self-indulgent (watching a movie with the girls, going for a walk, calling my husband) can be seen as showing support and love for my family. Even the blogs I read were about recipes, budget shopping, and cheap decorating. (ok, ok, one was about funny cake mistakes, and another was about silly photoshop mistakes in national campaigns. . .)

I guess the moral of this post- since all good posts have morals, right- is that worth may not always be found in the most productive of activities. I would have loved to make a quilt, time a half marathon, and paint a bedroom today- but even without those things, I had a very fulfilling and enriching day.

Also- it's not over yet! The night is young, and Ross doesn't have to get up early tomorrow!