mother and a woman

There are times when I feel like my life has been hijacked by crazed raccoons a pack of children. My quiet, studious days in art museums and university feel like another life. There have been times when I have worried that raising four tiny children may consume all of me, and none of what I used to love will be there later, when my children are grown. Running a household is exactly that, running. These days, the only time I have to myself are the two hours after the girls are in bed before I go to sleep. Even that is punctuated with crying children and chores. So I have to find small ways to maintain sanity. Steal snatches of peace, or moments of interest. For my fellow mothers-in-arms, this list is for you!

• I'm an NPR junkie. I don't do dishes unless my radio is on. I read the BBC news and Le Monde on my phone in the random five-minute time slots throughout the day. I stay informed on world news, not only because I care deeply, but because it helps me feel connected to the world.
• I get my hair done once a month with my friend Susie. This is such a luxurious 2 hours. I can't do anything except sit and chat with my friend. 
• I listen to audiobooks. If I sit with a book in my hand, its like an invitation for my children to pounce on me. Because obviously if I am sitting, I am doing nothing. Audiobooks and podcasts keep my intellectual mind alive. Right now I am reading To the Moon and Timbuktu by Nina Sovich, and my favorite podcast is Stuff You Missed in History Class.
• I write on my medieval art blog. I'm pretty sure I would lose my mind if I did not have that connection to the world of art history.
• I wear lingerie every night. After my kids are in bed, I take off my clothes with small muddy handprints and stains, and put on beautiful lacey shifts, silky, delicate, feminine things. It makes me feel like a woman and not just a mother. I follow the French mindset in this matter; just because I spent the day wiping noses and making meals doesn't erase the fact that I am a woman!
• I go out with my friend Alison about once a month. She is such a wonderful human being, and we never run out of interesting things to talk about. She is also a mother of tiny children, but unlike a lot of mothers I meet, the last thing she wants to talk about is formula or coupons. She and I have great conversations, and I cherish my time with her!

That's not a very long list, but its all I can do. Its an amazingly oppressive regime having four children under the age of 6, and one with extra needs. But I'm grateful I at least have these things!