Hi there my friend,
Yes you, my friend, who is the mom that is struggling to keep it all together. I see you as you push a stroller with your toddler, while encouraging your preschooler to hold onto the handle bar as you balance your baby on your hip. And I see you, the friend who needs to pick up a few items from Hobby Lobby but your infant is crying and you just don’t know why because you fed him and changed his diaper right after he woke up from his nap…all just before you left the house. And I see you my friend, who can barely keep your eyes open because you were up most of the night after both of your elementary aged kids climbed in bed with you from bad dreams. Now you have multiple meetings at work and you’re struggling to put together a coherent thought. And I see you the mom who has dirty clothes in multiple piles taller than your children that need to be done, bathrooms where science experiments could be performed, a to-do list that didn’t get one thing checked off for the day and it’s 5 o’clock and you have no idea what your going to feed your family for dinner.
I know you’re frustrated beyond belief, you feel all alone and you wonder if you’re going to make it through these exhausting, hard days. But I want to give you some encouragement my friend. I have been there done that and I promise you…It. Gets. Easier. These days and nights won’t last forever. Before you know it, the baby crying through Hobby Lobby will be asking to go to Hobby Lobby because he has a group project due for middle school. There will come a time when you’ll turn the laundry over to your kids and the sleepless nights will only be a memory. Believe me this season will pass and you will look back and remember the good days when your children were young.
But, for the now days that are hard, let me share with you a few things that will help get you through.
- Take some time for yourself. When the kids are napping put on some quiet music, close your eyes and enjoy the few minutes of peace.
- If it’s a day when you just don’t have it in you to take all the kids with you to run errands, wait until your husband gets home and go out on your own. Or ask a friend to help out by watching the kids for you. Then offer to help her by watching her kids another day.
- Do you need an afternoon pick-me-up to make it through the last few hours of work? Grab a cup of coffee, water or soda and head outside to get a fresh breath of air, you’d be amazed at how much it will wake you up.
- When it’s 5 o’clock and you have no idea what you’re going to do for dinner… order pizza! It’s ok to take a break one night, besides I don’t know a kid who doesn’t like pizza.
- When the kids are loud and boisterous and grating on your last nerve…take a few moments to find a quiet spot and take a few deep breaths and ask God to give you the peace & strength you need to make it through the afternoon.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13
So my friend who’s struggling to keep it all together…Be encouraged. You are NOT the only one going through this hard season. I promise you…you WILL make it through these days.
In His Calm,
