It's only for a short time. The exhausting nights of a 3 year old's nightmares. Changing wet bed sheets in the early morning. A challenging strong willed one year old who never wants to leave your arms.
It's only for a short time.
Infant screams from scrapes and face plants. Rosy cheeks from teething gums. The child spitting out the cough medicine. Screaming 1 hour car drives in traffic to Grandma and Grandpa's house.
It's only for a short time.
A child whining, tugging on your ankles while your trying to cook dinner. Grapes squished onto the fabric couch. The overwhelming whirlwind of toys scattered around each room. Picky eater struggles and tears.
It's only for a short time.
The difficult and the darling. Some things we're happy that will soon pass - but others we wish we could hold onto longer before they slip away too quickly.
Hearing each sweet little breath while I rock our little blonde boy to sleep in a slightly dark room. Bedtime stories snuggled in a little bed with his favorite trains sheet set. The sweet child whispering I love you in the night.
It's only for a short time.
The way those little hands take yours. That little head resting still and content on your shoulder.
The Joy. The purest joy.
The unconditional love after countless timeouts. That smile they get when they've learned something exciting, and the laughter from discovering your child stuck in a laundry basket after a game of hide and seek.
Over the past several months I've looked back at these exhausting days. Emotionally and physically. The days when you feel like your kids have been living in Time Out. When you can't figure out how those little lungs can actually produce that extreme level of intense ear piercing volume. When you're sitting there at the end of the night in a still house - and you wonder how you will be able to do it all again tomorrow.
There is no doubt that this job is difficult. Insanely difficult. And although sometimes we don't always think of it in the busy days that are rushing passed us - these times will soon be nothing but a memory in time. I always thought it was so crazy to hear people say "embrace these times, for they will be gone before you know it." I would think about how I was looking forward to them being over. How I wouldn't miss the whining and sibling rivalries. How I wouldn't miss the sticky fingers touching every surface in the house. How I wouldn't miss having to change my clothes for the 3rd time that day because a child chucked his meal onto my lap.
But I've been learning many lessons these past few months - and that is my children are a blessing to my/our life. We're blessed to have these children. I often think about those who desire to have a loud active household, or little sticky fingers to clean each day. The ones who wish they had these little blessings to raise.
I'm reminding myself to make memories each day and to cherish each moment, even when the days may feel long and exhausting. Those moments that instantly etch a special impression into your mind. and soon they will be ones that you can only visit later with just a passing thought. Tomorrow I will try harder to have more patience. I will try harder to not care so much about the little things. I will hold these little ones tighter and always remember to thank the one who gave them to us. I know there will be hard times tomorrow, and the day after that, and the weeks after that, but let's remember to not be so hard on ourselves if we don't have or do everything "perfect". This job isn't an easy one. Let's ask for guidance in the difficult moments, and to embrace the precious ones.
It's only for a short time.
