The Dryer!

This story was written in September of 2005. So many blessings have happened to Ray and I since then...but I wanted to put this on my blog for those of you who might be going through something frustrating in your life right now.

I have to tell you all about my dryer. It’s top of the line. It can dry three loads of laundry at once. It’s also a high efficiency model and takes very little energy to operate. If I told you that it was solar powered and works without electricity or gas too, would you believe me!! Plus this dryer refuses to work during rain, which means I do not have to do laundry on rainy days!! Sound too good to be true, well it is…it’s my clothesline.

For two summers in a row because of mechanical things beyond our control we have gone without a dryer. Last year were able to get a used dryer right before the first snow so I didn’t ever have to go to the laundry mat. This year it broke down in July and my sweet hubby bought me a brand new one in August!!

The clothesline actually works pretty well because we do not get much rain in Chadron. In fact we can go several weeks without a drop of moisture. I remember all summer before the dryer broke down complaining that it wasn’t raining. It was really nice when the dryer did break down because I could get my two loads of laundry a day goal accomplished. The funny thing is that when it rained for two days after a huge, huge dry spell, I was complaining that it was raining because I couldn’t do any laundry!!

Isn’t it funny that we often seem to never be fully content with our present situation. I try so hard to be content with my home because I know that there are people in this world that would give anything to have a roof over their head. Even though our home is a small two bedroom and we are a family of five, I try to constantly look at the things I love about this house and to be thankful to God for it. I look at the woodwork and the high ceilings and think wow, what a great house. Then I walk into the kitchen and look at the old one basin sink and old floors and
think, yikes God could you at least give me a kitchen with a double sink.

Want to know something even funnier. When we lived at our landlord’s old house, while it was up for sale, I used to complain about doing dishes. I had a dishwasher and a double sink and I still wasn’t content!! Now, I have a one basin sink, no dishwasher and have to do dishes with a soap-sponge wand and a plastic tub that I fill with soapy water. I try not to complain too much to God, because I wouldn’t want to try to deal with less!

Job Description

I have to laugh every time I am filling out a form and it asks for my job title. Of course depending on my mood I often put stay-at-home mom, or prop and clothing designer. So here's my full job description. I plan, shop for and prepare meals for my family, so that would qualify me as a personal chef. I home school my three boys, teach them God's word, and teach them how to tie shoes, cook and many things that will prepare them for adulthood so that makes me a teacher. I resolve conflicts and listen to my children's frustrations with life and each other, so that would make me a family counselor. I do laundry, dishes and clean up the messes in the house from five people, so that would make me a housekeeper. I take care of bumps, scrapes, colds, and fevers so that would make me a nurse. I sing solos in church and play on the worship team, so that would make me musician. I take care of three children twenty-four hours a day seven days a week, so that would make me a nanny. I design graphics for t-shirts and websites so that makes me a graphic designer and web master. I market and plan advertising for my personal websites and for those that I have designed for others so that makes me a marketing and advertising specialist. I do all the photography of my children and my designs as well as nature and landscapes, I even do my own children's portrais, so I'm a photographer. I also have started writing on several blogs so that makes me an author. Okay so here we go, I am a clothing and prop designer, graphic designer, photographer, author, personal chef, teacher, family counselor, housekeeper, nurse, musician, marketing and advertising specialist, and nanny....okay so try fit that on a small little line...which one would you choose...maybe have to just put domestic engineer or the form makers are just going to have to provide a bigger line for mommas like me!!!! I seriously am completely thrilled to be at home with my boys and am glad that God has provided me with a husband that supports me in all that I do in prayer and in his continual affirmation of what I do around the house and for him and the boys. Every day that he is home we get to start out the morning with reading the Bible and prayer (with a cup of needed coffee of course)! I am truly blessed. As for the bazillion craft totes with supplies I may never use, the graphic cluttered computer and the million hours on the computer...sorry babe "it's work related"!!!

Motherhood - The Oldest and Most Wonderful Profession

It all began with a rib from Adam. Eve was created as a companion for Adam and then like most modern couples, they began having children. Thus motherhood began, along with sibling rivalry, unsolicited I love yous and all those wonderful wet kisses and dirty hand hugs!

Moms will sacrifice a lot for their children. Think of all the wonderful moms in the Bible. Moses' mom made an ultimate sacrifice to save her child’s life, she put him in a basket and sent him down the river to be raised by a total stranger. How many young or single women in today’s world hand their children over to total strangers with the hopes of giving their child a better life than they can give them. How blessed the childless mom is when she receives that ultimate gift from the birth mother. She has a chance to experience all the things that we take for granted when we are digging out of piles of laundry or wiping messy faces and runny noses.

I remember the first time I held Brandon for the first time. Tears came to my eyes as I held that little guy with the bright red fuzzy head. He was absolutely perfect in my eyes and I wanted to give him the world. I wanted him to grow up knowing how special and loved he was. I wanted him to grow up to love the Lord and to be a good husband and father. I have felt that awesome joy with my other two sons.

While there are so many special moments with each one of them I'll share one special moment.
Brandon my oldest son amazes me with the way he memorizes things. I wish I could do that! Although knowing almost every NFL player and their statistics probably isn't something that I would really want to know! I do hope I can learn how to memorize more scripture this year though! Jonathan amazes me with his heart and the way he writes songs to God. One morning I woke up and heard him laying in his bed singing a praise song in his own words to God. Josiah amazes me with his snuggles and wisdom. This is a child totally wise beyond his years. Despite the fact he keeps me on my toes, he is the first one to spend time with me or to help me out around the house. I love my children and I know that my mom who is a great mentor and friend felt the same way about my brother and I.

God gives these children to us as special gifts for us to nurture and raise them to be loving, healthy and secure adults. I've made tons of mistakes in my journey as a mom, I probably will make tons more. A house with all boys is totally an education in itself! One my boys decided that a crib mattress was the perfect "sled" for going down the staircase! I would have never thought of that! I think all moms go through a learning process, I just had to do it a little bit different than most!! What an amazing and wonderful job it is to be a mom!!

Thanks Lord for giving me the opportunity to be a mom and step-mom to these special gifts you’ve given me!!! Thanks Lord for my mom who helped me to be the mother that I am today!! Thank you God for my husband, a husband that supports me and helps me to grown into a better woman, wife and mother. Copyright Sherlyn J. Edwards 2008