The clock is ticking

My mind is in a frenzy this morning.  Julia just left with the kids to take them to the museum, then pick up Ben from Preschool, have lunch and then home.  I have approximately 4 hours of  a quiet house and I feel like a kid in the candy store, because I look around and just don't know where to begin!  The purpose of her taking the kids though is so that I can get some sewing done and not have to leave the house today.  Remember that my love language is acts of thoughtfulness (the made-up one) so this surely speaks volumes to me.  :)  I am going to sew, but first I wanted to hurry and get some thoughts blogged before they leave my brain.

I woke up this morning thinking, "We're 2 1/2 weeks into Lent and my "project" is going ok, but I'm slacking and not trying very hard, but rather being complacent.  So, I rolled out of bed, went and got the kids up and didn't hug them or tell them I love them, but reminded them to bring their garbage and dirty clothes down stairs.  Result?  The morning has been set in motion:  "Mom, I don't have any pants."  My thought:  "I know I told you to lay out your clothes last night, throw your dirty clothes in the laundry, etc, etc."  I didn't actually say anything.  "Mom, here's the baby, she woke up when I went in your room."  My thought:  "I just told you nicely not to go in my room because Amelia was sleeping".  I didn't say anything.  (Nor did I offer a hug).  As I was scrubbing the floor and listening to the normal sounds of the morning, ie, fighting, whining..., I started thinking, "If only my kids would wake up, come downstairs and give me a hug.  I'm always here for them.  Kind of like God, He is always there for us, waiting for us to tell Him we love Him.  He doesn't turn away from us when we don't, but He opens his arms wide when we ask.  I know, that's kind of a far stretch, but it just seems so hard sometimes to embrace them when they're whining, or picking on each other.  I never deny them a hug or kiss, I always tell them I love them before they leave the house or go to school...basically before we part.  I also know it's ridiculous to think that my little children should learn something before me, or do something differently than the example I set for them.  FINE...I will hug them each when they come home, ask them how their day was individually, offer them a snack, speak in a polite voice...even if the atmosphere doesn't make it easy, I will do those things FIRST. 
Now, I have a few more things to write about and then I better go sew before it is magically 1:00 and my glass slippers fall off.