Worn out

It has been almost three weeks that we have been battling a nasty virus in our home.  It slowly made it's way down through each of the younger children.

My days have been full of caring for (and carrying) the younger ones, my nights have been full of suctioning noses and hot running showers and my bed has just been full, full of both kids, their blankies, stuffed animals and used tissues.

My big baby and little baby have been taking turns in the sling.  Pictured above is Henry after a particularly rough day.  Still wrapped in the sling I sat him on the floor while I fried up some rice and then found him fast asleep beneath my feet just minutes later.

Feeling compeltly exhausted and worn out I have repeatedly drawn on the recent messages from conference.  Here is my favorite from Sister Beck :

When women nurture as Christ nurtured, a power and peace can descend to guide when help is needed. For instance, mothers can feel help from the Spirit even when tired, noisy children are clamoring for attention, but they can be distanced from the Spirit if they lose their temper with children. Being in the right places allows us to receive guidance. It requires a conscious effort to diminish distractions, but having the Spirit of revelation makes it possible to prevail over opposition and persist in faith through difficult days and essential routine tasks. Personal revelation gives us the understanding of what to do every day to increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek those who need our help. Because personal revelation is a constantly renewable source of strength, it is possible to feel bathed in help even during turbulent times. 

Some of the words that jumped out to me included diminish distractions (blogging?sewing?facebook?), difficult days (sick kids, overtired mom), essential routine tasks (piles of laundry?piles of dishes?piles of paperwork?) then the words that brought tears to my eyes were renewable source of strength and bathed in help.

This week is going by quickly, I can't really recall how we've spent our days.  I feel bad that the beautiful Easter dresses I designed (along with a long list of other sewing projects) are yet to be cut out, the laundry (both clean and dirty) is piled high, meals have been mediocre, and my hair has not been blown out for days!  But - I have not lost my temper all week and though worn out there has been a definite increase of peace and love in our home so I can't say these worn out days were wasted.