It’s the beginning of a new year. For me, it literally is a new year since my birthday occurs in two days (GULP). Once again, I find myself evaluating my last year of life and can tell you that I still have not found that housekeeping efficiency gene, nor have I felt compelled to clean my walls for the fun of it. Ever. I can tell you that this year I still do want to improve on this crazy job of being a mommy and wife, but most importantly, I want to improve on the relationship side. Tasks will always overwhelm me. It’s how I’m wired, but I don’t want irritability to replace patience when my kids need me, nor frustration when my husband wants to spend time with me. This poem is highly appropriate, don’t you think?? May it encourage you as it has me today.

Song for a Fifth Child

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth
empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
hang out the washing and butter the bread,
sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
and out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
but I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
for children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Do you have any great poems that have encouraged you? Do share.