Clamoring

I saw these burros clamoring for attention.

And then I realized why I don't get much done.

Kelly Corrigan, in her memoir The Middle Place, has this to say about her desire to have four children:

"The way I see it, if you have four kids, you don't really have to do anything else, ever.  Three kids is a handful, but one that many people manage to hold.  If you're a mother of four, you definitely don't have to have a career or volunteer for the school fund-raiser or even bring an appetizer to the dinner party.  In fact, people give you a lot of credit for wearing both earrings and knowing how to spell chaos and antidepressant.  Four kids gives you a pass for every forgotten birthday, overlooked appointment, and missing form.  Plus, you can be late for everything the rest of your life and never return phone calls.  Who's gonna blame you?  It's like having a nonthreatening cancer, forever."

Others may not overlook my slackery* ways simply becuase I have four children.  

But maybe I should forgive myself some of my
undone projects and
unread books and
lack of career and
forgotten appointments...
And also enjoy the voices and needs and love of my four children.

*"slackery" I stole from SIL Jen.  She has a way with words.