Thursday, January 31, 2013

Better than Having a Glass of Wine at a Paris Outdoor Cafe



Being a mom can be hard.  It can be grueling.  There are days where I just pray to God to please help me to be more like him minute by minute - to be loving, to be patient and to be kind.  There are days where I feel like banging the dishes around ungratefully as I wash another sink-full for the tenth time.  There are days where I just yell  when the fighting between brother and sister doesn't stop. 

But then the times that I am in awe of these precious gifts takes over and wins over the times of frustration.

I would rather be here now accepting a pucker kiss from my sixteen month old, as she squeezes her lips together in an "O" shape and makes the kissing sound then anywhere else in the world.  I relish the moments of her beautiful curly hair after a bath.  I am in near tears listening to the girl that had no interest in reading for so many years and can now read fluently and spell better than her older brother and sister.  I receive a gift each time my just turned five year old son says thanks to me for a "yummy" dinner.   I laugh at how quickly our quiet little one has learned to hold her nose and say "stinky".    I delight in the phone call from my son at college thanking me for the shipment of snickerdoodles  - he is so grateful.  

I wouldn't trade this role of mother for anything in the world.

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20 comments:

  1. ChiskaJanuary 31, 2013 at 8:38 AM

    I've been feeling that gratitude intensely lately. There is so much to love about it.

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  2. Tracey ~ CloverJanuary 31, 2013 at 8:44 AM

    I totally agree!

    Wanted to pass along something that use to work for me when my babies were younger, when the bickering wouldn't stop and I felt like yelling, I would whisper to them. It is amazing how quickly things would settle down so they could hear what I was saying, worked every time.

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  3. Rachel~At the Butterfly BallJanuary 31, 2013 at 8:44 AM

    It truly is better isn't it? Thanks for the gentle reminder.

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  4. fjord girlJanuary 31, 2013 at 9:02 AM

    Beautiful sweet little one- I could not agree with you more!

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  5. Open Kitchen ConceptJanuary 31, 2013 at 9:02 AM

    I am so tired today I feel glad reading this post.. It reminds me that I should be grateful to God for my little one.. :) Thanks!

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  6. Mama Gone GreenJanuary 31, 2013 at 9:56 AM

    thanks for sharing your gratitude!!

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  7. TiffJanuary 31, 2013 at 11:04 AM

    Agree. The rewards of motherhood far outweigh any sacrifices or hardships. I think some see the happy moments easier than others though. I'm always amazed when people act with shock and ask why I Chose to have 7 children(and still want more), I tell them because I love them and they are a joy not a burden... something that is often seen the other way around in our world today.
    I'm enjoying my soon to be 3yr olds hugs around my neck today :)

    Tiff

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  8. AnonymousJanuary 31, 2013 at 1:58 PM

    Amen!

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  9. Mama Ash GroveJanuary 31, 2013 at 2:23 PM

    Dear Tonya, this is so beautiful and goes straight to my heart. This job is not at all easy- it is exhausting in every respect- but with that comes so much joy and so many blessings! Someday when our house is quieter, my heart will cry out for these days again. Love, Mel

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  10. AnnieJanuary 31, 2013 at 2:26 PM

    That is beautiful, and I agree with you. It's really amazing how wide of a range of emotions mothering elicits, and how strong they can be! From one end of the spectrum to the other. Thank goodness for the end that makes you want to pop with gratitude and the beauty of it all!

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  11. MichelleJanuary 31, 2013 at 4:45 PM

    Thankyou for spreading the joy and gratefullness you experience in your life, such a blessing, x

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  12. Kim January 31, 2013 at 6:30 PM

    Totally agree with you.

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  13. Simply ShelleyJanuary 31, 2013 at 9:29 PM

    I know the feeling :) Blessings friend

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  14. UnknownJanuary 31, 2013 at 9:50 PM

    Thanks for the beautiful post and giving another perspective on motherhood, because it really can be hard sometimes even with just 2 and not 5. Especially when you are exhausted from schoolwork and housework and working a job on top of all of that. I struggle to keep my composure at times...especially when my son is playing loudly and not listening at all. Oh and I think someone else commented about the whispering trick...that works for me too.

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  15. Simply and JoyfullyFebruary 1, 2013 at 12:33 AM

    Beautifully written.

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  16. AnonymousFebruary 1, 2013 at 1:02 AM

    Yes indeed! Motherhood is amazing in all of the beauty that our children bring us. Thank you for sharing these beautiful words.

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  17. RebeccaFebruary 1, 2013 at 8:19 AM

    So true. Thanks for the perspective. :)

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  18. AnonymousFebruary 3, 2013 at 2:04 AM

    me either..... we might be poles apart but we cherish the same little things!! Jen x

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  19. AnonymousFebruary 5, 2013 at 1:40 AM

    There's nothing like it, is there? Can't imagine not being a momma and ALL that entails. I truly enjoyed your post! What a beautiful little face. (:

    God bless you and your family,

    Mitzi

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  20. a soulful lifeFebruary 7, 2013 at 5:28 PM

    Such a beautiful post. Just what I needed to read today.
    And you are right, there really is nothing better than a little round o baby kiss :)

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