I don't know what it is that causes my daughter to turn into a tiny, hyped-up hooligan at times, but Lord knows I would pay money for an antidote. Can I be honest for a minute? ... Those types of episodes are really few and far between at our house. I am grateful for the laid back personality that she inherited from her father. But maybe that's what causes me to feel more stressed - because it's a behavior that I'm not used to.
Now, of course, like any normal child, she can turn on a dime.
That eye twinkle and smirk that flash in front of me as I try to reach out and grab her before she takes off running like a banshee {sometimes naked} through the house. Every so often I start to think I might not catch her. And all the while, she squeals and laughs uncontrollably, thinking she is the most clever person to ever be born.
Yes, on these days I am tired. Tired of running. Tired of correcting. Tired of anticipating what kind of chaos is going to happen next. Can I get an "Amen" for nap time? In this life of mine - the one where I am called Mommy, I might have moments of panic. There may be times when I think I've failed. When all I can do is sit down and cry.
Through all the fatigue, through the days spent wearing my fanciest sweatpants, through mornings of skipping showers so I can sleep in a little longer, I know my heart wouldn't trade it for anything. This is where God put me. I am a mom and I get the WHOLE package. Not just the glamorous parts. Being a mother isn't a pick and choose gig. I am learning that often it's through the messy parts - when I am feeling most inadequate, that I am being stretched and challenged. Through this dirt and grime in my soul, God smiles and shows me my strengths. He proves to me what I'm capable of achieving if I can just endure the race a little longer. It's a beautiful thing - discovering more about who you really are {who God made you to be} when you rise to the challenge of being a parent and can accept both the glamorous AND the gritty.
