I have experienced many emotions, as I’ve watched my daughter become a mama this summer. I have felt excitement for her as I watch her care for her own precious daughter, and encouragement to see she and her husband step up and take on this new season of life together.
I remember the days when I was starting out with my own newborn daughter and am reminded of how hard it was to go from living a life that revolved around the schedules of my husband and I, to suddenly having to meet all the needs of a little human. The sleepless nights, the exhaustion, feeling overwhelmed, and wondering if I had what it takes to do this. I want to protect my daughter from the hard parts of being a new mom. I don’t want her to struggle or feel overwhelmed.
Looking back over the years of my own motherhood journey, I am struck by the fact that I am a different person now than when I first started out. How did that happen? Was it having to adjust to and go through the hard parts of motherhood that changed me. Was it that my life now revolved around caring for and loving the little one’s in my home, the sacrifices, the overwhelming desire to be a good mom and being willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish that? My priorities changed, my desires changed, my focus changed. Everything changed.
Having babies changes you. You really are never the same. Now that both of my children are grown and married, I can see that I have actually been growing and evolving with them all of these years.
Being a mom is one of the hardest job in the world because you can often feel like you have lost yourself, and in many ways you have. You are not the same person after you have children than you were when it was just you. And just when you feel like you have grown into this role of motherhood, they grow up and leave you and you have to figure out who you are without them.
I have found that all I can do — all I can be–in whatever season of life and motherhood I am in, is to be faithful with what is before me each day, and allow this beautiful, difficult, wonderful, exhausting life change me into who God wants me to be.
One day at a time.
