Being a Mom is Hard

I'm sure this isn't news to anyone.  You can read all about how the sleepless nights are killer and the diaper changing and the lugging bags and contraptions around is burdensome.  We hear about taxi-ing, the expenses, the over scheduled calendars.  No new news about the sassy teenager and attitudes and hormones.  Those are the HARD things.  Right?  Nope.  I beg to differ.  As my kids have grown, I've decided those seem to be the easy things.  What no one seems to write an article on his how you can look at a kid and love them so much your heart wants to burst and tears sting your eyes.  But the very next moment you are so angry or frustrated you want to wring their neck.  Or how your heart breaks when a kid can't see their potential and wastes precious opportunities. How about when you are so proud of them that your mind can't wrap around how YOU managed to raise a kid that awesome.  And then doubt everything you've ever done wondering if anything you did even made a difference.  Then there's the time when you're too exhausted to fight the battle anymore and you shrink in defeat.  Only to have another child need you to stand up and be strong at the very same time.  Ever read an article about that?  Every so often in the middle of all the chaos, one of those sweet little ones recognizes your weakness and tries to be strong for you with their hugs and kisses and reassurances of their love.  Maybe even on a rare occasion one might admit they were wrong and totally surprise you by making it right....starting with a hug in your closet.   And that makes you cry too.  How is the human heart capable of so much?  Conflicting and contradictory emotions flowing freely and without restraint.  Where are the advice columns warning of these things?  Maybe it's because by the time you get to this point in motherhood, you can look at those beautiful young moms toting babies and celebrating a 6 hour stretch of sleep, and look back with a smile remembering when you thought that was as hard as it was ever going to be.  Besides, some things are just not really explainable to someone who hasn't been there.  Maybe it's like trying to describe what salt tastes like.  Being a Mom is hard, really hard.  But it's the best thing I've ever done.  I'll take all the hard moments just to experience the great ones.  Cuz when they're great, they're really great....even in the closet. ♥