Is it morning ALREADY?!?!

Yes, mornings are more often than not my least favorite time of the day. That said, I am really looking forward to reading all the discussion on this second chapter of Mitten Strings For God, titled Morning.

Reading this chapter made me realize how very important my mood is in the morning, and how it effects the day for all of us. You know that old saying from the south, “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” I find that my mood can set the tone for the entire family and it’s up to me to bring balance and joy to our home.

But I cheat myself if I fail to give the morning it’s due. For these first waking minutes can affect the quality of the entire day, determining the way things will go for each one of us. It is a tender time. Our soul, returning from their mysterious sojourns of the night, must now become grounded once again in the here and now and the concerns of the day. If I am conscious enough to honor this process–greeting my husband and children with hugs and kisses and gentle words–then each one of us may actually experience the sense of renewal that each day offers. The mistakes of yesterday are forgiven, regrets put aside. Here, in the day’s first hushed moments, our family can come together again in loving spirit, rested and refreshed.
~Katrina Kenison (page 16)

I loved that paragraph of this chapter. It was exactly what I have been needing to hear. My children are naturally inclined to be simply joyful and when I am out of sync with that, our whole family seems to fall apart.

Personally, I find that how well our mornings go really depends on whether I have gotten enough sleep! Our best mornings are the ones in which I wake up before the children refreshed and ready for the day. So much of the time I find myself up until the wee hours of the morning… Whether it be doing laundry, nursing the baby (although he does sleep with us), reading, or spending time online.

In another favorite book of mine, A Mother’s Rule of Life, the author tells us to ask our self:

How much time do I sleep every night? Is this enough, or do I find myself exhausted by mid afternoon? How much time do I think I reasonably need to add to or subtract from my present sleep habits? Do I need nap times? When can I schedule these?

She goes on to tell us to:
Establish a rising hour that gives you ample time to meet your morning responsibilities. Count back from your rising time the number of hours you need to sleep, and you’ll have established your bedtime.
Apply all this to the varying ages of your children too.

My children have set bedtimes, but I really need to set, and try to stick to, a bedtime for myself. Even then, sometimes things are out of our control which effect the amount of sleep we get. During these late mornings, when momma is exhausted… Why not have the kids jump into bed to just enjoy each others company for awhile? Then get up and make a nice comfort breakfast all together. This is one small benefit of home-schooling! As well as one of our favorite morning routines! 🙂

I find that even when I am tired, if I greet my children with love and a smile, it really helps to start our day off well.

Someday our [children] boys will decide that they have grown too old to climb into bed with Mom and Dad for cuddles before the work of the day begins. Till then, though, I will cherish this morning ritual, our small universe of [seven, so far] four, the sweet comfort of embrace.

I need to remember, especially when I am overwhelmed, that one day these precious children of mine, will no longer be living at home. They are growing so fast, and I want to cherish each moment that we have been given with them… And in the meantime, create some wonderful memories!

One of my favorite calendar pages this week said: