Lets be honest...motherhood (parenthood) is hard. Really really hard. It is filled with uncertainty, hardships, emotional and physical pain, pressure both from others and yourself, among many other things.
People say how they hate blogs that focus on the good things but quite frankly, I love them. EVERYONE has struggles and there is comfort and peace to be found from talking about them and learning from others. I love love love going to someone else's house or their blog or talking with them and see their kids do things that mine do. It makes me feel normal! And I think that's why women need and crave friendships and seek out friendships with those in similar circumstances.
But, seeing how hard parenthood his, (as well as life in general!), I love reading about the good things and try to always count my blessings and look for the positive in every situation.
Just because of the way that I am and I hate this about myself, by the way, is that I have a hard time seeing my good qualities. If you asked me to name three things about myself that I love, I would be hard pressed to tell you three. I could tell you at least ten good things about everyone else, though! One good quality about myself is that I am really really grateful for literally everything and I think that in every situation or circumstance you could easily find things to be happy about, and usually do that.
So now that I have unloaded, here are a few fun things I wanted to share just because they made me smile.
We have a Christmas tradition that the week or two before Christmas we draw names and make it a point to give extra service to the person whose name we drew and then give that person a little gift on Christmas day. It is a good thing, but for a few years I found myself extra busy in this already busy time serving for my secret person, as well as Brenna and Braelynn's secret person. (What mom hasn't ever asked herself what more she could possibly do to serve those in her family?)
Yesterday Brenna and Braelynn were cutting, gluing, stapling, taping and coloring like they usually do at least once a day. Braelynn came up to me and asked how to spell _____ (her secret person's name). She said that she was going to make it and give it to her secret person. My heart was filled with joy. We had just drawn names the night before and I had not had the chance to suggest things that she could do to serve. To know that she understood and had the desire to serve kind of makes it all worth it.
Joe had not been feeling good last week. He has been working nights so sleeps during the day. One day Joe had woken up coughing and came out to get a drink. Brenna and Braelynn asked him how he was feeling and when he responded that he was feeling really sick Braelynn told him that he just needed to drink lots of water and the germs will all go away.
Brenna one day tried picking in the food while I had my back turned. I promptly told her not to do that. She looked at me and said "You could see me?!?! I usually refrain from telling my kids things that are not true, even silly little things that really have no consequence. This one time, though, I just could not resist. I told her that moms have eyes in the back of their heads. Her reaction was awesome. She still asks me about it three days later. I feel really bad about telling her this little white lie and have resolved to tell her the truth next time she brings it up.
Brenna and Braelynn got little lip gloss shaped like a candy cane from one of their preschool friends. They loved that lip gloss and felt so special and packed it around constantly. The first day, when Braelynn's broke she was so heartbroken but felt better when Brenna offered to share hers.
Today Brenna's broke. They were both so very sad. I was thinking about finding one more thing for a stocking stuffer for them because they didn't have any "fun" things in their stocking. So I suggested they could write a letter to Santa asking for lip gloss.
Backing up...I have always told the kids they can only ask Santa for two things. One present and one little stocking stuffer. Braelynn already asked Santa for pompoms and the kids all agreed to ask Santa for a trampoline for a group present.
Braelynn got out a piece of paper and proceeded to "write a letter", stopping to ask how to spell lip gloss. She got most of the way done spelling gloss when she stopped and looked up at me and sobs "but mom, I already asked him for two things..."
Maybe I will have to ask Santa for lip gloss and then share!
