Before I had a family of my own, I was pretty much clueless about all things related to kids.
I never knew babies could spit up so much, or that a diaper blow-out could be so bad that I would actually consider burning the outfit instead of trying to wash it. Nobody told me that toddlers can get into anything. And I'm pretty sure no one mentioned that a preschooler could throw a tantrum 16 times a day. And the possibility that he could create a humongous mess with a single french fry? I would have said it was impossible!
Last week I had the privilege of fishing my favorite compact mirror out of the toilet that my 3 year old boy was still sitting on. He had gone "number two" and then decided to throw in my mirror for good measure.
That same week to my surprise one morning, I found my same little boy stripped of all his clothes, running around all fours in the living room because he was being a tiger and "tigers don't wear clothes mommy!"
But my favorite was the day at the park when he threw a tantrum, kicked me, and began screaming, "Let go of me, I don't even know you! I don't even know you lady!"
I thought for sure that someone was going to reach for their cell phone and report an abduction!
Some days I feel like I'm running a zoo! I consider myself lucky if I have time to brush my teeth, comb my hair and put makeup on. Showering is a luxury! During my boys afternoon naps, instead of doing dishes, or laundry I sometimes have to just sit on the couch and stare at the blank wall before me. I breathe in the quiet around me while imagining my brain cells repairing themselves for the rest of the day!
Being a mom is tough! There is no room for feeling exhausted or being sick because with our job we are on call 24/7. I sometimes wonder how we moms can keep going day after day loving, nurturing, teaching and strengthening our kids to be able to face the world?
I get my answer when I glance at my sons beautiful faces.
We keep going because it's worth it.
We love being moms. We love our children and even our chaotic lives. Our children teach us to be a little kinder, a little more compassionate and a little more patient. The sweet little reminders and rewards of each day far outweigh the tantrums and spit-up stains on our clothes. We may sometimes find ourselves saying "I'm not cut out for this job" but none of us would trade it for anything. But most important of all, we recognize that motherhood is a divine calling from Heavenly Father so we embrace it. The good, the bad, the embarrassing, the crazy, the challenging and whatever else may come our way.
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Angie is passionate about adoption. She has been married to her best friend for almost 11 years and is the SAHM two beautiful boys. She loves photography, digital scrap booking, cooking and sunny days. When she is not cleaning up after her incredibly messy 3 year old or wiping slobber off of her incredibly slobbery 7 month old, she can be found writing on her blog The Blessings of Adoption