Wow. You know how you (almost) forget how much it hurts to have a baby, once you have the baby? It’s kind of like that with parenting, too. Intellectually I know how much work it is to care for a house full of little ones. I did it, by God’s grace, and it was a ton of work.
But I don’t really remember until a day like today, when I left the house at 6:30 a.m. to help out my daughter with her three little 5-years-old-and-under girls at a doctor appointment, and ended the day babysitting three more children 5-years-old-and-under for a few hours at my son’s house.
Simple things like going to the bathroom become a challenge. How did I used to do it?
Who invented teeny dolls with teeny rubbery clothes that come off a lot easier than they go back on?
Every stop, if children are going in, requires unstrapping and re-strapping them in and out of car seats, and I am car seat-challenged.
Words are repeated over and over and over and over…
Arms get closed into car doors.
Swings need pushing (I found out one can push a swing quite effectively with a foot while sitting in a lawn chair — no news I’m sure for most of you, but somehow I missed that observation when I was pushing my own children.)
I’m tired. I can’t stay awake to write this post. I’ve dozed off half a dozen times.
I’m going to bed, and as I brush my teeth, I will pray for you, mothers of little ones! You’re awesome, and you serve an awesome God. He will give you the grace and energy to persevere.
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