Grant me the grace...

A MOTHER’S PRAYER

Oh give me patience when wee hands
tug at me with their small demands.
And give me gentle and smiling eyes.
Keep my lips from hasty replies.
And let not weariness, confusion or noise
... obscure my vision of life’s fleeting joys.
So when, in years to come, my house is still,
no bitter memories its rooms may fill.
- Author Unknown

I can't take credit for this beautiful prayer (it was posted on the St. Gerard's Mother's facebook page today), but I sure do love it...and it sure is appropriate for me!

Lucy (14 months) sure is keeping me busy. Last night, I had dream after dream about one of my children being in the hospital for a concussion or head injury. They were awful dreams!

The reason: Lucy is climbing on top of everything. I found her hanging onto the chandelier above the dining room table a few days ago. Every time I turn my back, she is standing on something she shouldn't (most often, the kitchen table)! I have never had a toddler like this (my husband thinks I have blocked it out, but I'm pretty sure she is the first!).

Lucy is keeping me busy physically, but the other children seem to be giving me more of a mental workout. Because it's summer and we are all up early (and very active for hours on end), they seem to be more tired, hungry, and whiny than usual (or perhaps I'm just more tired, hungry, and whiny too!).

Snack and meal times are especially hard ("he's looking at me, she's kicking me under the table, that's my plate/fork/cup, I wanted milk instead of juice, this food is not good, etc., etc., etc.), and I end up chewing on my tongue so I don't say something I regret (if only I was better at it...).

A line that I heard recently keeps jumping into my mind at these moments: "God grant me the grace to endure my blessings!"

I ran into a lovely woman after Mass a few weeks ago. I've written about her before...she teaches a breastfeeding class at a local hospital that I attended when Gianna was an infant. She is so gentle, so inspiring, so holy...she blesses all mothers who she encounters!

Anyway, we walked out to the car with her and her husband. She watched us as we struggled to get everyone buckled into their car seats. After I put the stroller into the trunk, she hugged me and told me the above-mentioned prayer that her mother (mom to 16 children!) had hanging in her kitchen. "God grant me the grace to endure my blessings!"

I loved it...it sums up so perfectly how I feel so often. I love my children (and their father) more than anything in the world...my greatest treasures...yet, I so often feel out-numbered and overwhelmed...I need that constant grace to endure (and ENJOY!) my blessings!

Praying that all of us receive the graces that we need this and every day! Thanks for reading. I'm signing off until at least July 7th! Happy summer :).