Friday, August 23, 2013

Beautifully, Messy Motherhood

Let's be honest, no one likes to talk about hard things- especially mothers concerning motherhood.  It is simply easier to talk about the things we enjoy, and hide the difficulties as far from us, or our friends, as possible.  But motherhood, real motherhood, is messy, and wonderful, at the same time.  I had one of those days this week, I can really only describe it as “messy”; I questioned if I was cut out for motherhood.  I curled up into a ball on my toddler’s bed, and hummed hymns to myself, while my children streaked by in their birthday suits, throwing toys, screaming at the top of their lungs.  (True story.)  Does that sound familiar, ladies?

I felt like a failure that day.  My exhaustion, housework, dinner . . . my children, were all pulling me different directions. I am sure I am not the only one who feels ashamed, to admit it out loud, but being a mother is really hard sometimes.

Sometimes, I speak harsh words.
Sometimes, I shout.
And other times I even . . . Y-E-double hockey sticks.
Monday, I fed my children Oreos for lunch.
Thursday, I forgot dinner entirely.
And Friday I fed Lily food that had fallen to the floor.
I might have even drove from here to Walmart without noticing Samuel wasn't strapped into his car seat, for the zillienth time.

Motherhood is really hard.  At times I wonder if I am ever going to get it right.  Or am I doomed to fall short of being a “prefect mother”?

But what is "right", and what is "failure" in motherhood?
"There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million to be a good one." -Jill Churchill

Motherhood is every woman's own journey.  So cheers to figuring it out, and enjoying the beauty of motherhood, ladies!

"Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn't know you had, and dealing with fears you didn't know existed." -Linda Wooten

3 comments:

  1. i fed my children s'mores on wednesday night for dinner... true story. It is hard work, but it's also such a great one. Despite those moments when we want to, and sometimes literally do, curl into a ball and question ourselves, we do stand back up and get the kids dressed and fed (even if it's oreos or s'mores) and try to do the best we can the next day. You're a great mom, Emily! Cheers!

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  2. I remember those days! Now I still sit back some days and wonder if I did enough to keep them all safe. However, I loved every moment and every level of motherhood and would not have stopped if it wasn't for this darn mortal body and getting old!

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  3. OH emily LOVE IT!!! I let my kids feed themselves sometimes. Last friday i slept unitil 8 when i should have gotten up at 7:30 to get the boys up and ready for school when i got up both boys were dressed with backpack on socks and shoes on and teancum had made them both cereal mikayla and helaman i threw in the car with just there pull ups on and drove the kids to school! my everyday sounds like this!!!

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