Thoughts on Mothers

So being a mom is tough. Every mom out there already knows that. When I called my mom to ask her to take Tanner for a few days because we both needed a break (me and Tanner), she had just happened to read in the Deseret News an editorial on motherhood. She gave it to me on Sunday and I really liked it. So I wanted to share it with the rest of you mommies out there. It is titled "Motherhood's tough times are normal" - by Michelle Lehnardt
"I was chatting with my darling neighbor who has three tiny kiddos, is pregnant with her fourth and in the middle of tearing up and remodeling her home. She's feeling a wee bit stressed.
Soon tears were flowing and she said, 'But I shouldn't complain. You've got twice as much going on as me and you are always so pulled together.'
Ha! Me? Pulled together?
As the mother of five wild boys and one crazy little princess, I am not trying to create any illusion of perfection. Ten days out of 10 I have moments where I simply can't handle life. And I also have really great happy moments 10 days out of 10. I choose to believe that's a normal part of motherhood.
My friend Missy told me a story of hiking with her dad when she was 8. The hike was easy and fun for the first few miles, but as the elevation increased and Missy's energy wore down, she struggled for breath and fought to keep up with her father. Convinced that something was truly wrong with her body, she called to her dad, 'I can't do it. You go on. I'll wait here.'
Her father stopped, sat her down and gently explained, 'You're okay. We're higher on the mountain now and the air is thinner. You have to take deep breaths and I need to slow down and walk slowly with you. you're going to make it. you're going to be fine. This is normal.'
For Missy, those words made all the difference. There wasn't anything wrong with her, it's normal to struggle when you are not getting enough oxygen.
And I guess that's my message to all my fellow mothers. None of us are getting enough oxygen. Every mother I know, whether she has 10 kids or one, is pouring every bit of energy into the bottomless pit of motherhood. it's meant to be hard. This is normal.
Forgetting a birthday party or serving cereal for dinner is fine with me. If I ever get too organized I may not have time to sit and hold my Gabriel while he tells me about last night's dream or I may not be willing to leave the beds unmade and go on a walk with a friend. Inadequate, imperfect, scatterbrained, messy - it all makes me a better mother.
I should stop here, but I won't. My cute neighbor said she tried to explain her stress to her mother, but her mother's reply was, 'You have no idea how lucky you are. there are so many people in the world with bigger problems than yours.'
I beg to differ. My friend is a nurse in a child abuse unit, she served an 18 month mission to Guatemala. She is acutely aware of the problems in the world and often expresses her profound gratitude for her husband, home, and children. Just talking about her blessings throws her into guilty worries that she isn't grateful enough.
But taking care of three small people, growing a new one in your belly and picking out tile for the kitchen are exhausting, oxygen depleting tasks.
It's OK to be frustrated. It's OK to be overwhelmed. this is normal."

Hope that was worth the read - I enjoyed it!