(I actually started this post a few months ago, but haven't come back to it until now. . .yesterday being Mother's Day reminded me of it.)
is a GIFT! The first thing I find myself thanking Heavenly Father for in each of my prayers is the opportunity to have children in this life and for the freedom I’ve had to make the choice to be home with them to teach, serve, and LOVE them every day! I’ve realized that as I talk to friends about various difficult parts of raising children, I always point out that we would really have it no other way, as we would easily choose the problems we’re facing over NOT having our child/children. If I’m having a particularly hard time, I think of my step-mom who lost one of her children in a car accident when he was 6 years old! I know she feels that she would take ANY difficulty in raising him over not having him anymore. Or I think of a good friend who has tried to have children for many years and is not able to. I know she would also trade any difficulty over not being able to be a mother in this life. How difficult it must be for these two and others to watch so many of us take motherhood for granted. Before I got pregnant (8 months ago), I couldn’t believe my baby Darci was over 4 years old and only a year away from kindergarten. . .and I realized how fleeting our time really is with our children! Mark was nearing the end of “playing with toys” and my kids were almost all in school! Could the toy messes really end so soon? Could my time with little ones at home all day really end so soon? Have I done enough? Taught them, loved them and served them enough? I couldn’t believe it! Time had gone WAY too fast. I look back on every minute I’ve had with them and thankfully am grateful for all the time I’ve NOT been away.
If you know me, you know I’ve had my fair share of vacations, girls night outs, etc. It’s not that I haven’t done anything without my kids. I really think that doing things with my sisters and friends on a regular basis is serving my children as they need to have a healthy mother! But, I also know there’s a time and season for everything and soon enough I’ll have plenty of time to do things “for myself”. . .and if I really think about it, I’m not necessarily looking forward to that time. For now, I’m happy to be having a baby in a month and postponing that time a little longer. :)
9 years ago
Amen to everything you've said! I also do that, when I'm having a bad day or the kids are driving me bonkers, I try to remember the years we tried for our first baby and how I would have given almost anything to be where I am now. Also having Abbie start school this fall makes me realize how short of a time it really is that she is with me all day and that I will miss this time. I'm trying to make every day count but it's hard when you're deep in the trenches of nonstop diaper changing, nursing, sleepless nights, and tantrums to not look forward to the day when everyone is in school so you can finally take a long nap! Everyone says I will look back on these days fondly and miss it so that is why I blog and scrapbook and journal and take pictures of even the mundane things so I can relive it later when I'm not so tired!
ReplyDeleteReading this blog brought tears to my eyes. I am so thankful for my children and really need to show them more often by playing with them.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this with (me), I really needed to hear it! I have been so overwhelmed with my kids and being a Mother, like on the verge of just running away, or just giving up! I feel so guilty for feeling this way, and quite frankly, I should! These children are a GIFT to me and I should be more grateful. How would I feel without them? Well, knowing what it's like to have the experience of having my children, giving birth to them, nursing them, reading, singing, playing with them, serving them...I would just die without them. How selfish I am! Thank you for that perpective! I love you and your positive-ness. You are truly an example to me, I hope you know that!
ReplyDeleteI love what you said, and just want you to know that from my perspective of being a grandmother, everything you said IS TRUE! Cherish these days, cherish your little ones, cherish these experiences. Slowly but surely they are shaping you to become the woman you were meant to be!
ReplyDelete