Patience is a virtue

My mom would ALWAYS say, "Patience....is a virtue...my child".  I didn't really understand what that meant until I had children.  I think today, of all days since, has been the day that it really sunk in . 

I was on the recliner nursing the baby when Natalie came walking out of the bathroom.  With her came a sweet smell of perfume.  I don't spray perfume on 5 year old little girls.  This tells me that she certainly wasn't using the bathroom for it's intended purpose, she was spraying my perfume ALL OVER THE BATHROOM. 

I took in a deep breath, looked her in the eyes, and told her I knew EXACTLY what she did.  Now, mind you, this wasn't the most awful thing she's ever done, but it was disobedience just the same.  I walked over to the bathroom, took a step inside and my feet slipped a bit on the floor.  JUST GREAT.  The floor needed to be washed down.  (another deep breath - Exhale . . . . )  The floor needed to be washed, and Natalie was going to do it.  I generally resign myself to the fact that I'm going to do the work.  *I* am being inconvenienced.  *I* have better things to do with my time.  ::sigh::  Natalie needed to do it.

The craziness needs to end in this house.  I have NO IDEA what I need to do to break through to that little girl.  No matter what I do or don't do, her sinful nature persists.  My kids do something totally crazy and all I can do at this point is look their way in absolute astonishment. 

I've heard a few times that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.  I thought, "Yeah, that's me alright!"  But then I did some digging and found that it indeed is NOT the definition of insanity and I am certainly NOT deranged.  :) 

It was then that I heard my mother's voice in my head.  Yep.  I get it, mom.  I do.  It's not that I'm insane or deranged.  I'm a mother of young children. 

Another quick search found me looking up the meaning behind the words.  I came upon the information about a medieval poem that, apparently,  describes the conflict of vices and virtues.  In this poem, Anger and Patience are characters.  Anger attacks Patience, is unable to defeat her and destroys herself instead.  WOW!!!  What an in-you-face picture THAT is. 

I know anger will not benefit anyone in this house and, in the end, I'll end up defeating myself.  Patience will get me through it.  It might be with more grey hairs than when we started out, but I will get through it.  Hopefully with happy, healthy children to show for it.