I used to wonder.

what was on the other side of a photograph?
beyond the pretty clothes & clean faces
was it an act?  what all went into capturing that single moment in time?

what was it like to get up 3-4 times in the middle of the night with a crying baby?
were you annoyed/exhausted/sleep deprived?

when your kids were napping or you were out on a date, did you miss them?

when your kiddies were sick, were you miserable?  did life really stop?

when people brought you food & it was cold by the time you ate it because you were putting your baby down, were you annoyed?

I used to wonder all these things.  I used to wonder how my mom friends did it all, how they did it with such grace.  I wanted to know what the “mom life” was all about.

and now I know.
and I think I know why my questions above were always unanswered.
god just gives special supernatural grace to mommas. (and surprises!)
he designed us to be nuturers, to put our children above our own needs, to be multitaskers, to get up in the middle of the night, to meet our babies every need.
the creator created me that way.
it’s not always easy or pretty or “put together”
it’s hard, exhausting and it reminds you how selfish you really are.  it’s no joke.

but more than all of that – it’s beautiful.  glorious.  joyful.  you are so in love that you can’t even remember what life was like before kids (yes, all those cliche/cheesy things people told you before you were a mom were TRUE!)

and I’m not taking any moment for granted.
even when they wake up early from their naps when I still want some mommy time, or when they spew their baby food in my face.

#momlife
it’s a beautiful thing.