Simplify

When we lived in California, I received some advice from a member of our Bishopric that I will never forget.

This was a few years before we had children. Forrest had just received his masters degree from USC and was about to start working full time at a large accounting firm. I had just accepted my job with special needs students at the high school, and been asked to take over as the head coach for the girls' soccer team. It was an exciting time - we were no longer students, we were finally becoming "real" adults.

And this advice couldn't have come at a better time. It was simply this: "As you build your lives together, don't over schedule yourselves. Leave some time to read books, to breathe in the fresh air, to take walks together and to sit on the ground and play with your kids. Because those are the moments you will look back on and wish there were more of."

It is so easy to let life completely overwhelm you. Especially as a new mom, you feel like you will never be able to do all the laundry or wash that big pile of dishes. You feel like you'll never vacuum or mop again. Or do your hair. Or put on makeup. That has caused me a fair amount of stress over the past 6 months.

But seriously, it is impossible to do everything. And when it comes right down to it, I would rather spend half an hour singing to and tickling Charlie just to get a few giggles out of him. Or making silly animal noises and showing Caroline colorful pictures so I can see her sweet smile over and over again. In the moments where I feel completely overwhelmed by all that I think I need to do, I try to remember those words. "Don't over schedule.." And then I decide it's ok to let some things go.

I try to remember that simpler is better. That it's ok if someone comes to visit and my house isn't spotless. That Forrest will still like me even if my hair is in a ponytail everyday for the next year. That I can survive on cereal and omlets when I haven't been to the grocery store in weeks. That it's ok to not take your kids to see Santa on their first Christmas, they really won't remember it anyway.

Some things just have to fall through the cracks. And I would much rather those things be things like laundry, makeup, hair and dishes than precious time spent with my family. Because those moments, the tender little moments spent with your loved ones, are the ones you will cherish. Because our children learn more about how much we love them when we read them a story than when we have perfect hair and makeup.

So next time you see me, I will possibly be wearing sweats. My hair will undoubtedly be pulled up and may even have some spit up in it. My house likely won't be clean. But it's ok. You probably won't be able to see the smiles and giggles, the little cooing conversations, the love and the joy. But they're there.

Don't get me wrong - I do try. I like to do my hair every once in a while, and I do make an effort to do the housework. Amazing things can happen in this house when the twins are napping. But it's those times when I have to choose one or the other. That's when I choose to let the less important things go, so I can focus on what's most important.

Playing with my kids is far more fun than housework anyway :)