I took a baby gift to a friend. I could tell she was worn out. Focus had been on just her and her husband for some time. Now their world was rocked with crazy schedules, loss of sleep and wondering if they\u2019ll survive raising this new little person. Then, I accidentally called the wrong friend, but it was God\u2019s divine-appointment-timing as this friend needed a shoulder to cry on. She is the mama of a newborn. It hasn\u2019t been the \u201cbliss and delight\u201d she had expected. Baby, daddy, AND mommy had all been sick, plus other challenges.
I was one of those mamas. I would have never made the cut as a social media queen posting all those cute and perfect photos of 1 week, 2 weeks, etc. of my little darlings. I remember longing for my babies to get past three night-time feedings, and past the illnesses they had and me getting much-needed sleep. Good news \u2013 we survived! And we turned out two amazing, decent and strong human beings. I saw a friend\u2019s blog and I knew I needed to repost it for bringing light and hope for young parents.
\u201cWhen you first have children they talk about the challenges of parenting….the struggles of a baby waking in the night, the toddler who won\u2019t stay in their bed, the cost of childcare, injuries from sports. Having to take off work to pick them up from school when they don\u2019t feel well, helping them with homework, a messy house, the never-ending laundry, the costs of school clothes, packing their lunches.
You watch their eyes light up on Christmas morning….and try to soak in the magic of those moments. You coach them in sports, rushing to practices and ballgames…and tote them all over the country to let them play the game they love…no matter how exhausting or expensive it becomes. Life is just so busy that you rarely even stop to think what the end of those days looks like. In fact, it\u2019s not even something you can wrap your mind around. You go into it thinking that 18-20 years sounds like a long time.
Then suddenly hours turn into days…days into months…and months into years. That little person that used to crawl up next to you in bed and cuddle up to watch cartoons…suddenly becomes this young adult who hugs you in the hallway as they come and go. And the chaos and laughter that used to echo throughout your home, gets filled with silence and solitude. You\u2019ve learned how to parent a child who needs you to care for and protect them but have no clue how the whole \u201cletting go\u201d thing is supposed to work.
So, you hold on as tight as you can…wondering how time passed so quickly…feeling guilty that you missed something. Because even though you had 20 years…..it just somehow doesn\u2019t seem like it was enough. You ask yourself so many questions:Did you teach them the right lessons? Did you read them enough books as a child? Spend enough time playing with them? How many school parties did you have to miss? Do they really know how much you love them? What could I have done better as a parent?
When it\u2019s time for them to go, it all hits you like a ton of bricks. And all you can do is pray, hope, and trust that God will protect them as they start to make their way into the world alone. Parenting is by far the most amazing experience of your life — that at times leaves you exhilarated — while others leave you heartbroken.
But one thing is certain — it\u2019s never enough time…
So, for all the parents with young children, whose days are spent trying to figure out how to make it through the madness, exhausted day in and day out\u2026
Soak. It. All. In.
Because one day, all those crazy days full of cartoons, snuggles, sleep-overs, Christmas morning magic, ballgames, practices and late night dinners…
All come to an end.
And you\u2019re left hoping that you did enough right, so that when they spread their wings….they\u2019ll fly!
Credit to Misty Brewer Lee<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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