Sunday, February 08, 2009

expectations are funny like that

There was once a time when I could take my knitting along to the pasteleria and knit idyllically as I sipped my coffee and chatted with Joshua; or sometimes I would just leaf through the newspaper, or journal all the profound thoughts spilling out of my clever mind. I loved that time!
and then one sweet child was born to us
and then another
and then another
what joy!
And I kept trying to take my knitting along, but I found myself frustrated (of the angry variety) as I would have to put my knitting aside again and again and again as one sweet child climbed up onto my lap, or when another fell off a chair and needed to be loved on, or when another stripped a toy out of the hands of a docile child at the neighboring table, and I needed to intervene.
And then I stopped bringing my knitting; I stopped worrying about getting anything accomplished.
and all of a sudden, I didn't mind so much when I had to coddle a crying toddler, or when one of my sweets climbed onto my lap with a huge stack of books, or when another repeatedly asked for help with his puzzle.
in fact, I kind of enjoyed it.

5 comments:

darcie said...

Hmmm, it's good to embrace the changing seasons of our lives, isn't it. I remember not being able to knit at your coffee shop because I had to be vigilant that Josu wasn't gobbling up all those sweet treats handed to him the Spaniards who adore him. . .

Anonymous said...

well, i dont have any cute kids or anything like that, but i have been realizing more and more how addicted i am to my own agenda. if something interrupts my plans or routine, i get frusterated.(usually, in my case its something like time that i wanted to use to take a nap)

Unknown said...

I'm realizing this same thing more and more at ballet or during Awanas, or any day for that matter. I'm really much happier (and so are my little ones) when I've put my own plans aside and just be a mom!

Caroline said...

I do believe my agenda to be the cause of nearly all of my impatience. This is an ongoing battle for me. Thanks for sharing...you are an encouragement to me.

Heather Pelczar said...

I heard it said once that expectations are resentments under construction. lol I find it to be true in much the same way you have so honesty illustrated. Thanks for posting and reassuring me that I am not alone in it.