Tired Mother of Two (under two)

My thoughts on having "two under two"

"They" all said it would be difficult, that it would be an adjustment, that times would be trying (especially at first).

I wish I could say "they" were wrong.

The adjustment from one child to two children has been a difficult struggle:

• Yes, I "function" on less than 2-hour of sleep at a time.
• Yes, I feel like I change diapers ALL day long.
• Yes, I get done feeding one and then have to feed the other.
• Yes, as a result I eat & drink standing up...usually cold food.
• Yes, there is always a mess to clean up (& some messes I can't even blame on the kids).
• Yes, we do at least two loads of laundry everyday.
• Yes, I should probably shower more than I do...but why ruin the "mom scent" of spit-up. (and why ruin the "fashionable" look of soiled clothing).
• Yes, my eldest child is acting out and disobeying more than she did prior to the birth of her baby brother.

However, in the midst of this struggle of parenthood, God has given me so much joy for these little ones. There are SO MANY THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR!!

• The precious cuddles of my newborn.
• The enchanted look on my toddler's face when she sees brother awake.
• The way my toddler loves to kiss on her brother (even when I am trying to feed him or when he is crying)...not the best timing but the affection is darling to watch. 
• The trust my children have in me that I can provide for their needs.
• The satisfaction in knowing HOW to comfort them when they need it the most.
• The creativity God gives me to create age appropriate enrichment activities for both of them.
• The supernatural energy that only God can provide...even through sleep deprivation.
• The amazing birth story of both my children & how God allowed me to carry them close to me in the womb for 9-months.
• The incredible husband God has blessed me with who is MORE than supportive & brings the crying babe to me for EVERY night time feeding.  
• The love and support from our family, friends, and church community...including meals & advice.
• The fact that my husband and I are shaping the next generation of leaders!

I could keep writing this list forever (but nap time is almost over and the wee one needs to get fed), but it is a great reminder that in the midst of difficulty, hard-times, and sleep deprivation, God is ALWAYS teaching and showing us more and more about HIS character. It is easy to get stuck on the struggles this life brings, but it is more beneficial, I have found, to focus on this things that bring joy, restoration, and peace to the soul.

I thank God often for my "two under two" and keep asking HIM for wisdom and guidance as we live day to day serving HIM the best we can with the situation we are in. I must say, my heart is overwhelmed and blessed!

Christmas: Final Advent Calendar Reflection

Over a 25-day period, I determined to perform a variety of random acts leading up to Christmas in preparation of Jesus' birth. Up front, I have to admit, I missed a few days. My sweet son was born on December 23 & I ended up having early labor for 3-4 days before he was born. This (& pure exhaustion) prevented me from completing about 3 random acts. HOWEVER, I did learn some amazing lessons along the way.

1) Joy from Giving

• Like a good workout or an amazing day with friends, giving gave me SO MUCH JOY!!! It was wonderful to wake up every morning and look forward in anticipation to each day and be prayerful about blessing those around me.

2) Needs of Others

• My eyes were opened to see the true needs of those around me...instead of being so focused on what I needed to accomplish on a particular day. My mind and eyes were searching for ways to bless others even beyond the daily challenge. I also realized that giving does not always have to include things of monetary value.

3) Power of Acknowledgement

• I saw that even though the tangible acts were appreciated, it was the free gift of acknowledgement, relationship and conversation that people valued. In a world that is surrounded by the "me complex" many people often feel lost in the shuffle or ignored because of technology.  I found people surprised that someone would start an authentic conversation and truly listen.

4) Giving is Contagious

• I set out to do this project without expecting those close to me to jump on the bandwagon, so to speak. BUT- I found the more exited I got about giving (& the more I talked about what God was doing though it), the more my husband and others wanted to get involved and give too! It was the greatest gift...paying it forward. 

5) Prayer Changes Things

• It was amazing to see God move in my life during these 25 days (and leading up to the birth of my son). Some days I switched the calendar around due to craziness of schedule or tiredness, only to find out that is EXACTLY the activity I needed to complete on that specific day. God answered my prayers of a changed heart as well as taught me ways to include/teach my 16-month old about the power of giving! Without prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, this project would not have been a success.

There are many other lessons I learned throughout the 25-day Advent Challenge, but the above are just a few that stood out to me. I hope to continue this tradition each year especially as my children get older and can be more involved. I would be interested to hear of any new ideas to add to this list for next year!

If you participated in this challenge, I am curious to see what you learned, saw and experienced during your 25-days of giving.