Page 20 - Julie Thorley Nine Lives book

The Tireless Mother
man who loved me for what I am inside, even if I’m a little careworn on the outside. My husband needs no second bidding to show his manly affections. Even when I’ve spent the day looking after the house, gathering the harvest while it’s there and preserving it for the winter; even when I’m exhausted from making sure there’s food on the table for us all, and any of his hunting friends who may call; even after all that, he is still able to love me.
It’s not as though I have a choice anyway. The Lord gives
us the burden we can carry, no more, no less. If He’d meant me to have daughters for companionship and for sharing a woman’s ways, no doubt He’d have provided them. Losing my own mother when I was but ten years old was good grounding for life with men, and I quickly learned how to look after my brothers and my poor grieving father.
No, you know where you are with boys – and I include
my husband and father-in-law amongst them. I’m not joking. They’re like young animals, constantly on the go, exploring and bringing stuff home to show me. I have quite a display of animal bones on the porch. And there’s the rough-and-tumble as they ght to be top dog. It’s all good-natured, of course, but it can get quite rowdy, I can tell you.
And now we have the drum. It was so thoughtful of Grandpa to bring it home. He says it will be lovely if our youngest can accompany his two brothers as they sing their prayers. I’m sure the Lord will appreciate the sentiment, even if the music is challenging to His ears.
Grandpa spends more and more time with us, now he is on his own. He misses his dear wife, and we’re glad we can support him every evening with food and company. It’s probably only
a matter of time before he gives up his cottage and joins us permanently. The children won’t mind sharing a room, I’m sure.
Just one more moment of stillness and then I’ll be on my way. I must fetch some eggs if I’m to show how I’ve spent my time. I can’t have them thinking I’ve been idle.
*** 16