You are not alone.

Yesterday I read a blog entry which was a letter from a mom to other moms.  I liked it so much that I decided to do an encouraging tribute to mothers and to all parents in general. 

                If you don’t already know, this blog that I have entitled “My Crazy Life,” was not only a place for me to vent about all the hustle and bustle that is my life, but to also let others know, especially parents that “you are not alone.”  It is always nice to know, that other s are going through the same daily “stuff” that you’re going through, and they’re making it.  That means you can too. 

                There are times when I feel so overwhelmed that I don’t know if I can continue at the pace I’m going.  You know what I’ve learned to do in those situations?  Slow the heck down.  Maybe the house is not spotless; maybe the kids are eating noodles and hotdogs tonight.  It’s okay.  Our kids just need us.  They need and yearn for our attention and our love.  It’s imperative that we slow down so that we can give them the love and attention they need.  Believe me, noodles and hotdogs will taste like a full course meal if you’re sitting there with them asking them how school was. 

                There are times when I want to get away because the noise level in my house has reached an all time high.  Guess what I do, I get away.  How you ask?  “I’m going to the bathroom.”  That’s my line.  I go to the bathroom and sit on the toilet and say a prayer for peace, and get me some peace.  Go get you’re five minutes of peace.  I know that if your kids are like mine, they’ll have the nerve to want to follow you.  I have a line for that too.  “Mommy has to boo boo, it stinks in here.”  That will get you a couple of extra minutes. 

                Being a parent I know is not always what it’s cracked up to be.   It’s hard work, but let me tell you, it’s worth it.  Just wait until they fall asleep, and watch them.  You’re mind and heart will be renewed by the love you can now remember you have for them, and it will get you charged up to do it all over again tomorrow. 

                Just remember, you’re not alone, you can do it and you will be the best parent in the world in your child’s eyes.   I would like to end this by saying, “hang in there, it gets easier, as they get older,” but this blog is to encourage you, not to lie to you.   So I will end with this, “hang in there, you are not alone and you can do it!”

Today was the beginning of the hardest 4-6months of the year, BASEBALL, and this year we’ve added soccer to the mix.  What were we thinking?  Four out of six of my boys play basketball, baseball or soccer and although I love seeing them active, it makes for a very long and tiring week, every week. Two days of practice and one game day is the schedule for baseball, same for soccer, and basketball, who knows what you’ll get.  I’m not complaining of course, but what about my life.  Does it just stop because I have kids?  Your answer may be different from mine, but I say, “no,” and “Hell No,” as a matter of fact. 

I realize as parents we have a responsibility to our children, and that means a sacrifice in our time.  Especially since I have seven children, I expect to give up a lot more of my time. But sitting on the toilet seat for an extra 10 minutes just to get some “alone time” is no longer enough for me.I have to find time for myself, no, I need to find time for myself, and just as importantly I need to make sure my husband and I spend time together.  Really, where will be in 15 years if we spend all our time with these kids and not enough time together?  I’ll tell you, we probably won’t last 10 minutes after the last kid leaves the house. 

Our youngest child is nearly 3 years old, meaning we have 15 years until the last child leaves the nest. We have to prepare right now for the time when it’ll be just the two of us.  I want to know the man who will be staring in my face all day, (as we won’t have any interruptions from the
starring without any kids in the house).  While I can’t wait for that time to come, as with any thing in life, one must be prepared.   I would hate to wake up to a quiet house in 15 years and not know the man who is lying next to me because we were living just as roommates all this time.  

So while I will always make time for my kids to play sports, everyone should know that I probably won’t be at every single game, and I probably won’t stand in the cold at every single
practice.  Anyway, here we go! 4-6 months of scheduling time for sports, family time, alone time and time for me and Bobby.  Wish me luck.