i'm with you sister

To all of my mommy friends out there, whether you stay at home, work full time or are out of state. I love how unique you all are. And I love to see God working in your lives and growing you all in different ways.

It's time to get real. I have read a couple of posts like this on random blogs but I think that it means more when someone you know shares a bit about themselves. So here is a post from me to you.

Mama Friend,

You are not alone. I too have a never ending battle with dishes, laundry and clutter. I look at all I have to do each day and feel overwhelmed. I too feel like I'm losing more and more brain cells every day. I often feel lonely though I am rarely alone. I lose my patience and yell way more than I should. I often go to bed feeling guilty because I blew it  in the "training up a child in the way he should go" department once again. I know what it's like to long for a hot shower with no one yelling or crying in the bathroom. I too would love to spend more than 5 minutes a day on my appearance and not sport the "just rolled out of bed and splashed some water on my face" look once again. I would also love to get that wedding body back. The days of wondering around the mall for hours and meeting some girlfriends for lunch are long gone. I know what it's like to desperately feel like you need to run away for just a couple of days but then once you finally get the chance, you miss your kids after a few hours because everything reminds you of those little stinkers.

We've heard the constant reminders to enjoy our kids while they are young because they grow up oh so fast. Of course we enjoy our children when they are young! They are awesome. They are hilarious. We love them more than words can express and we would do anything to protect them.

But that doesn't mean they don't take every last ounce of energy and mental strength we have to give. It doesn't mean that they don't frustrate us beyond the point we thought possible. It doesn't mean we don't want to scream into a pillow sometimes because they are persistent little boogers and cannot sense when mommy is about to lose it. Or maybe they just want to see us lose it? I know what it's like to be a slave to little people who rarely notice the sacrifices you make for them. 

I SO appreciate all of the encouraging books and blogs that remind me of God's grace and slowly teach me how to learn to see my children as His children. I am thankful for the many bible studies, books and devotions that have shown me how to let Christ work through me. I have learned that I cannot do it on my own. 

My perspective has definitely changed with each child. I have grown a lot with each one in different ways. Some things have become easier, but being a mommy has also become harder in a alot of ways. And I know that we are never done growing up as moms. 

I just wanted to write you a little note of encouragement. You are not alone sister! We're in this exhausting, wonderful, frustrating, beautiful boat together. Don't think that there is one of us who has this mom thing down. Being a mommy is hard whether you have 1, 2 or 5 kids.

I hate it when Growing Up Mom ends for the summer because we have to wait 3 months until we meet and encourage and pray for one another. Just know that I am praying for you guys all the time! 

Sometimes I think social media makes us feel jealous of others because all we see are smiles and fun. We tend to sugarcoat things because we don't want to be a "Debbie Downer." 

I'm going to keep posting those happy pictures and stories because those are good times I want to remember. And the fun pictures help me keep a good attitude. But I also don't want to forget how hard this is. There will come a time when I rarely see my girls because they are off hanging out with their friends and they are too big to cuddle. I will have more time to myself. At that point, I will encourage the young moms in my life and tell them that they will get through this crazy time alive. I will not tell them, "Just wait 'till they're teenagers." I will babysit for them and cuddle their little ones because I will understand how much it means to them to have a second to themselves. 

So, if you are scanning Facebook and see pictures of all the fun things I'm doing with my kids and think to yourself, man Amie looks so happy. She must be having such a fun summer. And she has such a great neighborhood with all those friends with kids, just know that as you are struggling over there, I am struggling over here. And we're struggling through this mom thing together.