Learning and Little Ones

I feel that in today's General Conference sessions, as well as in April Conference, there was a lot of focus on children. And right now, little children are my life. I have to admit that I don't always relish that fact like I should. I am not very pleasant when I am sleep deprived, and I have a rather low tolerance for whining. These combined facts have lately made me guilty on a daily basis of that sin for which it is said that being tied to a millstone and drowned would be a merciful punishment: offending my little ones.

I seem to be always snapping or losing patience with some little fellow, always getting on the wrong side of the line between disciplining and punishing, always forgetting that these are pure and innocent beings that I am dealing with. And I think that motherhood is meant to be that way. If anything has shown me my weakness, it is being at home all day with three boys three and under. Most of the time I feel like I am a disaster. But at the same time I know that this time is precious, both because of the sweetness of being with these little ones and because of the joy that comes from turning to the Lord in my weakness and receiving the comfort that I can be made strong through Him.

So I'll keep reminding myself that babies sleep eventually, that my bathroom won't be a cesspool forever (they are bound to learn to aim at some point, right?), that one day my house will actually stay clean after I clean it and I won't find Cheerios in every nook, cranny, and crevice, and that when that day comes, I will cherish and miss these sweet days surrounded by little ones--diapers, Cheerios, and all.