I know this may sound crazy but when is enough really enough?
I have felt myself at my limit to balance my life many times in the past few years. I have always been able to handle more and more but I think I am getting tired. I just don’t have the same amount of energy that I am used to having. It is hard. It is hard to be mom, wife, teacher, friend, church job, chauffeur, secretary, personal shopper, maid, chef and many other roles I have.
It is also the best! It is wonderful when you have been working with your child on saying alphabet sounds and they recognize and say that letter to you. There are few things that feel as amazing as curling up on the couch and reading a story to 5 of my littles.
It is also hard work. It is hard breaking up arguments. It is hard having to drive your teen home from work after midnight. It is hard having to get up several times in the night with a variety of children and then function the next day. It is hard trying to sit with children in church and try to listen, feel the spirit and grow spiritually from the experience.
It is also a blessing. It is a blessing that my kids call for a ride. It is cool when they realize that they were not being positive and they have to make a change. It is so amazing seeing how the older the children get the more they become this outstanding person.
I also am able to appreciate the silence. Lets be real here. I don’t get much silence but when I do…
I wouldn’t be able to appreciate the joy of their laughter and the joy in them sleeping peacefully in their beds if I didn’t get to experience it.
I am tired though. It is hard and I get crabby. Some days I just want to pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep. Wouldn’t that be the best? One day I will have that.
People tell me I will miss this time. They may be right. There are certain aspects of raising children that I will miss. I think people don’t realize that I was 21 when I had my first child and I will be 63 when my last child graduates.That is a long time to be actively parenting children. I am sure there are many things I won’t miss.
So I kind of wandered from my topic…that happens. 🙂
John was talking to me about the need for foster families. There is such huge shortage right now especially for sibling groups. It makes me want to try and stretch myself a little bit more to help. I wonder if this feeling will ever go away. The only thing I feel I should do is take care of my own struggling kiddos and not add any more to the mix. However, my heart aches for children that don’t have a home.
when is enough enough?
How do you turn kids away? Ignorance is bliss or so they say…I think is ignorance is unacceptable in this day and age. You can’t put your head in the sand and try to ignore the plight of others. I am not sure we can ever do enough. I think it is important for more people to step up and do the work. We need to stop leaving it for another time or for other people to do.
We live in a world that requires us to give more and be more. Enough is never enough…there is always more we can give. Sometimes, we have to give in other ways but I think there is always more we can do.
Take it from a mom with 20 children….there is always more you can do. the question really isn’t when is enough enough? The question really is How and where can I give and in what way?
What way are you going to try and extend yourself this week?
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