Why is there such a social standard for moms today? I totally don't buy into it, and yet I catch myself comparing; trying to measure up nearly every single day. For example my SIL made a ton of a.maz.ing. things before her noodle #2 came along. Just this morning I caught myself thinking, "I can make all those things too, so I better get busy!" Obviously my baby won't be as happy or well adjusted if she doesn't have adorable handmade everything! Just like that I'm trying to measure up, and be 'as good' as another mom. I have so much going on right now and I keep heaping things like that on my plate. It's starting to take its toll! I'm one of those people that when I have a ton to do I don't work myself to death to fit it all in. Instead I find a book and while away the hours in bed. Hiding is what I do, which obviously only makes things worse.

This morning I started feeling so overwhelmed by my to do list I thought I'd just write it all down so I could assess what really needed to be on that list. I opened my journal and it turned to an entry I made right after Elder Bednar had come to Dallas to speak. He talked about packing the right load. In other words am I putting the important things first, or am I getting distracted by things that are maybe good, but just not as important.  Is it imperative to my children's salvation that I spend time every single day doing planned out, educational activities? Will my four year old be emotionally damaged if I don't plan an amazing birthday party for her? Will any of my children remember how clean the bathrooms were while they were growing up? Will it cause physical harm if my family is forced to eat cereal for dinner once in a while? When its put like that suddenly its easy to see how silly it all sounds! As women I think we're all given different strengths and different weaknesses for a reason. It's important to celebrate those strengths and recognize those weaknesses, but for me it's far easier to see the weaknesses than it is to see the strengths.

After I made my list I had to take a serious look at what I was putting in my load. I managed to take out over half! I've been cluttering up my life with things that are good, but just aren't important enough to allow them to make my blood pressure rise.

So my question is how did we get to this point? How did this standard of what it means to be a 'good' mom come to be? Who decided you had to birth babies, keep a spotless house, educate your children, plan and prepare a well balanced meal, create a spiritual and uplifting atmosphere, pay the bills and balance the budget, AND still have enough time to take a shower and shave your legs in order to be counted as a successful mother? And here's the bigger question...How do we free ourselves from the world's expectations and just allow ourselves to be happy with who we are and what we do?