In the arms of a Mother

Wake up.

Make breakfast.

Make lunches.

Bundle up babies and take the older ones to school.

Kisses, hugs and I love you’s. See you after school.

Feed the baby.

Clean the house.

Make lunch for kids still at home. 

Make your lunch...

Baby’s hungry. 

Forget to eat your lunch. 

Play with kids.

Remember you need to eat still

Remember that you needed to pee 5hrs ago. 

Oh wait, time for kids to come home from school. 

Help with homework. 

Make dinner. 

Everyone sits down to eat. 

Baby’s hungry.

Bath time, scripture time and don’t forget family prayer. 

Kisses, hugs and I love you’s. Off to bed sleepy heads. 

Sit down on the couch, see a sink full of dishes

You want to be responsible. You don’t want to come into the kitchen tomorrow morning to that. 

Couch and TV win. 

Tired, but rest and relaxation trump. 

Baby’s hungry. 

Still need to pee. 

And eat. 

In between all these things there’s lots more to see and do. But it’s not all chores, and it’s not all chaos. Let’s not let those kisses, hugs and I love you’s be looked over. Let’s not let the spontaneous bear squeeze hug on your leg from your toddler, while he says, “I love you mom” be forgotten. Or what about the way your kids eyes light up when daddy comes home?  The squeals and laughter that come from wrestle time with dad. The towers built with magnetic blocks, all kinds of car noises coming from little mouths while playing car town with their siblings. The tiny hands that help make cookies. The little adorable  bodies that prefer to just be in boxers playing up in their room at night. The goofy things they say. So many GOOD things. So many good things that should tower over the few not so pleasant things that may occur in a day as a mother. 

My four month old was laying on the floor, after I had just changed his bum the other day. I went to throw the diaper away and make him a bottle. He, very abruptly, decided he was starving and began crying like nobody’s business. As I was preparing his bottle a thought came to me that made me want to adopt every single baby out there that needed a safe place.  A place to be loved. I picked up my sweet baby, and he immediately stopped crying. In my arms, he was in his safe place. I was his safe place. I am his safe place. No matter what the day brings my little boy needs me for his comfort. All his needs are meant as I provide constant love. 

So all you mamas of littles, babies don’t keep. Toddlers and their spontaneous hugs and endless forgiveness for our shortcomings won’t always come as easy. The squeals and giggles of children wrestling with daddy will one day fade away. For just a moment today, just sit and look at your children, individually.  Just look at their sweet faces, take it ALL in, soak it up. Recognize the little humans they are. They don’t mean to drive us crazy sometimes. They don’t mean to spill the milk, miss the toilet and pee on the floor, smear toothpaste all over the bathroom mirror (ok maybe that one is intentional, but still). They don’t mean to do things intentionally to make us frustrated. All they want is for us to continue to be their safe place. Enjoy your littles, mamas, while they are, just that, little.