They will be simple like, “Put dishes away, pick up the number of toys that match your age, fill the water jug, make sandwiches (to eat along the way), or read a story to Elijah.” Little steps of prep go a long way in our home. Making lists ahead of time for Julia and Austin saves a lot on my brain the last few hours, so today I’ll be making those. The day before I’ll be giving them a brief overview of things that Mommy needs to look after that last day then will explain that the best time for them to ask their questions will be in a certain time slot and the next will be for Mommy to focus on last-minute preparations, while they look at their favorite books. On some occasions, she simply told her children, “For right now, don’t say ‘mom’ more often than you need to.” Now for little ones, all wound up to have the long wait down to hours, that can be a tall order. Then I think of the words by my soft-spoken aunt who had nine children. Seemingly the only way to keep things flowing is working, but especially thinking, ahead. Time and again I’ve found those last hours to be quite intense. Using a Walmart gift card a friend had given, I bought a double rod clothes rack to hang on the shirts and dresses ready to go, which has helped a lot to keep organized. I’m finding that having little helpers does eventually, pay off Julia does super with her clothes and helping with the little ones’ clothes after I’ve sorted through, looking for stains, snags, and missing buttons. Hearing me remark about it, Hosanna said, “Yes, I was packing my bags, I put everything else in my bag.” Her clothes were all gone besides some socks, and most of those didn’t even have a pair. Why this morning when I opened Hosanna’s clothes drawer I took the second and third look. The children enjoy helping with their clothes. Yes, a plain old Rubber-Maid tote gets tugged from one room to the next as I place each person’s clothes in it, ready to be put in drawers when we reach Grandpa and Grandma’s house. While I used to go for the prettiest bags and purses, most of our clothes get stacked in totes. With each trip, I keep learning little things that make things flow a bit more smoothly. Yes, I love it, though I won’t deny that there are also challenges strewn among the blessings! Being a mom and packing for eight adds a rich dimension. Traveling has been something I’ve enjoyed since I was a young girl. “Mom, is it now only three days till we travel to Ohio? Mom, Will I get to sleep with Aunt Mary? Mom, may I pack my bags?” #Baked french toast series#This article is a part of "The Amish Cook Column", a weekly series of featuring a story & recipe from Gloria Yoder, Amish wife & mother of six from Flat Rock, IllinoisĮxcitement reigns high these days and the questions are endless:
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |