motherhood

Jeanene Snell - I think you are awesome. I cleaned out my favorite blog reading list and I kept you, and I am glad I did. I wish I had a friend like you. Better yet, it is my goal to be a friend like you to someone else.

Lisa @hoopla palooza - Sometimes we forget that our children are given to us to teach US. Not the other way around that we all think about. So when my kids are not behaving well, and I discipline them, or when they make a mistake, and I help them to realize it and try to make them learn from it, and when they don’t listen and do whatever they want to anyway, well, then I thank God for them cuz they have taught me lessons. Lessons about myself and another perspective on how to better myself, which will in turn, better them. If I had perfect kids, then I’d be a perfect parent? No! It is much much better to have a bad day and learn and GROW from it all, as you just did yourself. And in turn when you share it, it gives others light. See how it all turned out well in the end? God is ah-mazing isn’t HE? 🙂

Mary - good stuff, here.
not the you hurting part, but the you growing closer to Him part.
when things are going my way, i’m so lazy to look to Him, but when He has me in the valley(even if only for a day), boy, is that a time of dependence and growth like no other.
and it hurts sometimes.
but snuggling in with my Daddy is precious time that i wouldn’t trade for the world.
how wonderful that HE loves us no matter what.
now if i could only do the same for everyone around me.
xo

Pamela Fitzgerald - Meg,
I LOVE your blog…..It is SO REAL……You help me with life…..through your beautiful decorating and “realness…” I have 3 kids, its tough…..I have days like these…all the time…..hope things are better…..Pamela

Lisa - I needed that quote, “their story isn’t over yet”! I’m holding on to that one and gonna pass it on to others. And love the part about protecting your marriage. Too easy to put that aside. I love how you talk about your husband and marriage. It is obvious you put
the time, energy and work into your marriage. Thank you for this post. And being willing to share about the hard side of parenting. Too often we are afraid to share that it’s hard. Like it makes us not as good as moms. If we didn’t care about our kids it wouldn’t be as hard, but because we DO love our kids, we get hurt, and frustrated with their choices. Ahhhh! So glad we get to go to bed and have do overs the next day.

Brooke - oh man. thanks for being honest and vulnerable…brave and inspiring.
I just finished reading Give Them Grace by Elise Fitzpatrick with some friends from church and this quote gives me much comfort during those dark parenting moments.
“We are not nor can we be the saviors of our children. He is the Savior. When we forget this, our parenting will be pockmarked by fear, severity and exhaustion. When we’re quietly resting in His grace, we’ll have grace to give our children too. When we’re freed from the ultimate responsibility of being their savior, we’ll find our parenting burden becoming easy and light.”—Give Them Grace
My girls are toddlers and their issues are different than your kids I am sure, but we are all on the same journey of trusting God with our children and your post reminded me that the journey never really ends until we are resting for eternity with our Heavenly Father.
Again, thank you for your vulnerability…you encouraged me today to pray for my girls during nap time instead of flipping through the new Pottery Barn that just arrived today…I can do that later. 🙂

Janelle - Thanks Meg. As much as I love your happy posts it is nice to know we all have the same feelings every so often! I don’t know if you want to share but I’d love to read how you deal with some of the parenting issues in some of your posts…my kids are 12, 10, 8, 6 and I am constantly saying to myself…wasn’t it so simple when they were a baby, 2, 4, and 6???! I am trying to enjoy them how they are now but it is hard not to look back on “easier” times 😉 I am starting to realize why it becomes ok to send your kid off to college…it would be devastating to send a 5 year old but at times perhaps not so bad to send an 18 year old 😉

Kimber-Leigh - you’re soooo not alone 🙂 this was exactly what i needed to read this morning. thank you.
and thanks for the book rec too…that’s a new one to me.
hope today is a better day…but even if it’s not, how wonderful it is to know that God is still sovereign over it. there is peace and comfort and grace and hope in that.

Gram - The best parenting advice I ever received was “They need to be loved the most when they are the most unlovable”. I find it to be as true now that my kids are in their 30’s as it was when they were little.

colleen from alabama - thank you so much. I’ve been in a pit lately with the whole parenting deal. I am so with you on loving my husband and what JOY that brings to my heart. Loving my kids, much harder. Trusting God that HE is working when i see nothing but what seems to be a slippery slope backwards in my kid’s lives… seemingly impossible, but God says -“ALL things are possible through Christ”. My kids are 10 and 12 so there is soo much more to their story. I have a friend who reminds me that i am not the one writing their story, God is. He already knows how it ends and HE is relentlessly pursuing. Just like he did with me. I have to let go… and trust. Praying for you right now as we are on this difficult journey together.

Cari - Thank you for your honesty. It’s so easy to just show the good times — I know I’m guilty of that! Parenting is hard. So. Hard.

T - Teenagers. Nuff said.

elizabeths - Wow what a beautiful post about your honesty and how so many of us feel day in and day out. Thanks for sharing this. Raising kids is the hardest thing ever and sometimes I even question myself am I doing a good enough job are they proud of me? But reading this made me realize we are all human and we do the best we can. I know my kids love them I tell them daily. Thanks for sharing Meg!

Su@TheIntentionalHome - Lately I too have been reading the Love Chapter as seen thru the eyes of a parent. I read it aloud and instead of Love I insert my name or the words “mom”. It has zinged me numerous times. Peace to your heart, mind, and home this week. . .may God surprise you.

Stephanie - Oh boy. Hubby and I are right here in this spot with you. Your words could be mine. I cry out to my husband and God all the time over the behavior of our kids. It isn’t bad compared to the world’s standards, I guess, but still so disappointing at times. We too have stated at the wall–staring right through each others’ eyes, concerns filling our heads about who our kids are in their hearts and who they will become. Will they love and serve God or themselves? We have seven kids and still have what could be considered babies, but a few of ours are old enough where we’re running out of time with them at home and it becomes extra scary to think about the future. We have some good, good kids, and some that are a little more challenging. I cling to the verse that says to train a child up in the way he should go, and when he is OLD he will not depart from it. It doesn’t mean they won’t mess up on the way. Blessings on you and your husband, Meg! Parenting is sometimes heartbreaking work.

Food Science Recruitment - This post is really amazing. Keep it up. Very wonderful,nice reading this one. Love it!

Lindsey - Sending hugs your way. Your open heart is why we all love you and your blog.

Margo - Thanks for sharing. Sometimes I feel so alone with those same feelings, its nice to know that I’m not really alone.

Barbara - Sweet, sweet Meg. You’re a great mom and don’t you ever doubt it. Being mom is hard stuff but listen to what Ecclesiastes 4:12 says — “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” So between you, your honey and the Almighty, well, that’s a powerful and not quickly broken!
And this next verse, I really claimed it A LOT especially for one of mine – James 1:5-6 “If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.” (The Message)
You’ll make it – your love and faith is too deep. I’ll be praying for you guys.
Love,
Barbara
PS Try praying out loud. I really love praying that way….I don’t get distracted, my thoughts come together better and lots of times when I hear my words I learn a lot.

Penny Smith - With a background of 80’s rock (though a software engineer, he is a bass player STILL for rock bands!) it seems weird to ME too that all I listen to now is KLove. Why? because if I stray, I go too far. So when you said “Love Never Fails”, I go right to the song playing so much right “Your love never fails, never gives up, never walks out on me…”
I have a child with RAD (Adopted from Ukraine at 2 years old (she is now 9, 10 in a couple of weeks), we knew attachment issues were possible. We never fathomed just how hard it would be…) and now they are getting older, and it is a WHOLE new game, as you know.
If it wasn’t for humor, and my faith, I would never have made it this far with out addiction issues. It is HARD. Period. I love the people my kids are becoming too. But to remind me I wear Phil 4:4-9 around my neck… the “be anxious about nothing, but with prayer and thanksgiving make your requests know to God. And the peace of God, that transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus.” OK, so this is right before “your” scripture… but I need it. I need to remember the “do not be anxious” part… often. (I am so proud of me! I wrote it all out without getting stuck and having to go to Biblegateway! Yay! 🙂 )
Looking forward to meeting you next month!
🙂

lauren - It will be okay.
I find when I pray most fervently for my kids (and I struggle with this too) I always cry. I cry because I’m so aware of how big God is and how I know that, as much as I love them (22, 19, and 15) he loves them so much more….more than I can even imagine. He has them in his grip. Keep praying, don’t dwell, pray, give them to him and move on with your day loving them and providing for them and staying connected as best you can. On a more human level, don’t let them see they have you down! You are their mom and you know best and when you are confident and set boundaries and stick to them they will fight it but they need it. It’s hard but you can do it!
It will be okay. I will pray for you too.

colleen sullivan - Your children, as they grow from babyhood to adulthood, must learn to hate you as much as they love you. They need to take it out on you, and you need to respond with firm, appropriate limits that allow for the freedom of this stage of independence. (as I’m sure you do) Adolescence cannot occur without anger at those who gave life(in reality parents are the only human beings kids really trust)… it is our job as parents to expect it, set appropriate, understanding limits, and love them despite it… just like when they were… dare I say it babies (toddlers specifically)
Enjoy the fiery independence of it, as it is from this that their personality is being formed…. it is a stage of childhood that in reality is fleeting. It only feels like forever.. or was that toddlerhood?

Amy@littleforalittlewhile - Thank you for sharing this Meg. I feel this way all the time. My babies are 4, 1, and one in the oven, and I stay home with them full time. I whole heartedly love it, but man, is it tough. Staying home full time is not as glamorous as I thought it would be, and somehow I feel like I had more time to myself and kept up with the house chores better when I was working full time. This is by far harder than teaching a class of 20 kindergarteners, hands down. But at the end of the day, I wouldn’t trade it for the world, so I lift up my bootstraps and plow ahead towards another day. I appreciate your vulnerability and willingness to let us see that others are not perfect all the time either. Hugs to you, and I pray that you will have the strength to continue being an awesome mom!

Nicole Gjeldum - First I wanted to tell you that I really enjoy your blog. I was an art teacher in a past life so I really appreciate all of the creating and art on your blog! I stay home with my beans now and for my birthday my mom (who had 6 kids) gave me a story call the “Invisable Mother” It is a powerful story about how we as moms are creating the most amazing masterpieces similar to the artist who created the the great cathedrals in Europe. “A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it. And the workman replied…Because God sees. No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you’ve sewn on, no cupcake you’ve baked, is to small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become.” Just thought I would share. Thank you for being honest and sharing what it is to be a mom!

tara - meg…love your awesome transparency.
my husband and I were in youth ministry for a decade and in college ministry for nearly 4….we’re sitting here with our twelve year old totally shocked at how little we know that we thought we did. 🙂
God is teaching me so much about being continually connected to him while we parent….i so easily take my eyes off of him on the hard days and get super, hyper focused on the kids’ behaviors or attitudes.
i was such a smart mouthed punk when i was 15, and now i call my parents daily. i ask them for their wisdom non-stop. i keep trying to remember this on the extra long, hard days. 🙂

Amber D. McNabb - Amen AMEN to this post. It is usually when I am feelin pretty braggy, high fiving myself and such for my kids’ awesomeness that I get knocked off my high horse and the parenting game switches up again. We try so hard though and we never give up. That’s the important part. And love covers everything. “The greatest of these is LOVE”.

Michelle - Love your mom’s words of wisdom. They will be my new mantra…make it till midnight, then it’s a new day. Thanks for sharing.

Jocelyn Pascall - I do not have kids, but I imagine that in a few years I will understand more of what you are going through. However, I have no doubt that your words today will give comfort to many other parents out there feeling exactly the same. Your honesty and open heart is very brave and, as my amazing Grandma always said, “This too, shall pass.”

Jenn - Wow! Funny you used that scripture today. I was just listening to Love Never Fails by Brandon Heath http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nQy-aP_Koo last night!! I am sure you have heard it, but I thought I would include the link just in case you felt like listening to it and dont have it handy on your ipod. 🙂 I did not get to take the motherhood journey, so I have no words of wisdon for you…just hugs prayers and a song.
Take care and have a wonderful evening!!

Tami - This was very encouraging to me today!!! Parenting has been the most challenging thing for Kelsey and I! I feel like a failure every single day. It’s nice to know that everyone struggles and we are not alone.

Cheryl - Dearest Meg… I have so enjoyed your blog over the past few years – to be honest I can’t even remember how I first found it. I am from Ireland but my sister lives in the US so it might have been through one of her blog links. Anyway – from the start I was won by your honesty and “down-to-earth” manner and felt I was looking at a mirror-image of my own family etc at times (though I don’t have your creativity and fantastic style!!) I have 7 kids ranging from 6 to 20 – believe me I KNOW exactly where you are coming from. Sometimes it seems you get a couple days, maybe a week, when everything is going so well and there is so much promise and then WHAM and you are right back on your knees again praying for strength and asking the Lord a lot of questions! But we go on with God because He helps us to do it. This year was especially tough because we buried my dad at the start of the year and 7 weeks later we buried a little baby boy. When my heart was aching with the weight of it all I was given a beautiful scripture by my oldest girl. She has given us our share of worry over the years but this year has got herself settled and is enjoying the Lord and fellowship with other christians. The verse she gave me was Psalm 61 v 2 “when my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the Rock that is higher than I”. Overwhelmed is exactly how I felt and often still feel. But praise God He is our Rock. Unshakeable and unmovable. Take courage and keep going. Love in Him, Cheryl

steph - wow… thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing!
i know you’ll get a ton of these responses but i couldn’t help but comment.
these are words that i need right now too.
thankfully the particularly crappy times make the particularly good times even better.
thinking about you… and all mamas trying their hardest even though we keep failing!
thank goodness for grace!!!
yes!
xo

jennifer - yes.

Gina in Louisville - Thank you for not being totally perfect and awesome all the time. I love that. I have 2 teenage boys and there are days when I feel like a complete failure as a mother. I think it must mean that I’m not a failure. Kind of like how crazy people don’t know they are crazy. If I were a failure as a parent, I wouldn’t know it or care; therefore I must not be a failure.
You are more awesome in your weakness. Thanks for sharing.

Dee - You are human and us humans all make mistakes…but the fact that you agonise over those mistakes, count your blessings and think of the good times – proves what a sweet, loving mama you are. Hang in there – i’ll be sending a few little extra prayers you way today
Dee
x

Lori H - Thanks for the honesty Meg. I hope that reading all these comments will let you know that you aren’t alone, and that each day is a new one. You and Craig seem like awesome parents and if you didn’t question that once in a while, you wouldn’t be human or humble. Hang in there, and know that your kids are absorbing everything you try to impart to them, they just don’t want to show it 🙂

Tiffany - I found this on pinterest a while ago, and pinned it immediately. It’s a fav, a simple verse about love, 1 Peter 4:8 – – – – – http://pinterest.com/pin/15833036160795412/
Hope today is brighter for you.

SoCalLynn - We had a rough weekend with our 13 year old daughter. I spent all of Friday evening praying about what to do, which was good because I needed the time to process and calm down before my husband and I could talk about it together, since he was at work. I was reminded during my prayers that my daughter belongs to God, so I gave her back to him in my prayers and asked for his guidance in raising her to be his daughter. Parenting is so hard, and I am so thankful God is standing beside, and sometimes carrying me through this adventure. Thank you for sharing; sometimes a reminder from other parents that we all struggle sometimes is so reassuring!

Wendy - I miss babies too … I would take walking the halls all night with a crying bundle ANY DAY over big kid stuff. May the sun shine a bit brighter today 🙂
I am envious of your faith … my belief is not as strong as it once was and I miss it.

Jana Banana - I’m feeling your pain and hearing your heart–I feel like last week (for me) was just one big test. Not sure what the report card says except maybe, “survival.” Parenting is such a weird mix of hard and easy, smiles and tears, and while it’s all good, it’s not all a downhill coast. Maybe it’s the valley days that help us appreciate the mountain top days all the more? Hang in there and look for more nights with rooftop star-gazing. Thanks for sharing, you’re not alone. 🙂

Sarah - Thanks for your honesty.
Its rough sometimes thinking that everyone else has it together and your struggling alone, so it’s nice to read something like this from someone you admire.
I struggle constantly with my very independent and spirited 4 year old…. parenting is hard sometimes.

Alicia @ La Famille - love your heart here, ms. meg. good to show this side of you too. thank you for your realness.

Kate - Lifting you up in prayer dear friend. Romans 8:28 – And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

K - so thankful for your honesty. I needed to be reminded of all of that this morning despite the fact that my kids are only 3 and 5. Parenting is so much more difficult (and so much more amazing) than I ever thought it would be and I know even tougher stuff is yet to come. We are facing some tough decisions already with my 3 yr old having some special needs and requiring more and more interventions/therapy and being told by different specialists that she needs psych meds now in order for her brain to slow down enough to function and so she can learn better coping skills. The idea of my just turned 3 yr old being put on such meds instills a feeling of failure like none other- it scares the living daylights out of me and Satan is ever ready to put deep doubts in my heart about me being an inadequate parent to her so I keep clinging to Christ and His life, death and resurrection and what that means to me and my little one and how He is doing a good work in her even when my husband and I are struggling so much to see the good in all she is struggling so deeply with. I have to remind myself every day that God told me to ask Him for wisdom so I plead everyday that He would pour His wisdom into me and help me to draw near to Him so I can emulate Jesus to these little people when all I really want to do is lock myself in the bathroom with earplugs in on those tough days. I pray everyday for her birth mom so I can keep letting go of all the bitterness I have towards her for what she did when my little one was being formed in her womb that is now causing her years of struggle and requiring meds to help her little brain just be able to function on a somewhat normal level. Anyway, I just wanted to share with you that you are not alone and even though we are dealing with vastly different issues in parenting right now, your post and reminder of the Corinthians verse and love never giving up and bearing all was so encouraging to my heart this morning. thank you.

flowerpowermomma - you are on the right track with Jesus’s promises. being a mom IS tough, but you’re doing a great job. Raising people to be responsible adults who will be productive in society….whew.. what a responsibility. I’m so glad you know God. hugs little momma… it’s a new day.

Nicole LoBue - thank you for your honesty Meg. the love verse comes to me all the time when i am in the middle of stuff with my girls. i read once to put my name in in place of love,(“Nicole is patient, Nicole is kind…” this wakes me up so much, usually i need to start with my heart before i can help them with theirs.
lots of love and prayers to you.

Karen Gerstenberger - Meg, thank you for always keeping it real here. Even with all of the beauty and love and desire in our hearts to make everything good, we are all flawed, as is this world in which we live. God loves you unconditionally, as He loves your children, and as you love them. We are held in His love, always, wherever and – as you would say – WHATEVER. No matter what. Even death cannot separate us from the Love of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
You can start fresh today with your hand in Him. May His love bless and refresh your heart, and the heart of each precious one in your family!

Kim - I am with you. I miss the babies. I thought that stage was hard, but older kids in school is hardER. Thanks for the boost! This could have been my post today!

Heather S. - Some days you just have to walk through. You know? It’s just survival to get through the day. I love what Elizabeth wrote about her mom telling her that you just have to get to midnight, then you can start a new day. In all honesty, I felt more I was just *getting through* the days when my girls were babies. Parenting is TOUGH and the reason you feel you aren’t getting *better* at it is because really, the job description keeps changing. Just when we feel we have arrived, our kids enter a new phase and we’re back in training! His mercy flows in the morning, you know, and with each new day comes a chance to start over. And I am so grateful for that!

Kristin S - Me again.
Just this morning I wrote a “weary” post. I am not going to post it until tonight but I added a link at the bottom to this post. I think so much of the battle in life is feeling alone. I KNOW so many women are encouraged by your honesty and the knowledge that they aren’t the only ones exhausted in parenting. It IS hard and it IS a calling. The Lord has entrusted these precious ones to you and Craig. They are His and He trusts you with them and has given you the strength to parent them well. You know. You are the parents. You know what is best. You are not alone.

Amanda - As the mother of a seventeen (almost eighteen year old) girl I totally understand what you are saying. Parenthood is hard. Wonderful, but hard. Thanks for posting this. It is really easy to get caught up in seeing all these “perfect” families in blog world (even in the real world!)but I think it is good to be reminded that we all have struggles and battles. It is nice to be able to relate. Thank you 🙂

Kristin S - Beautiful.
Real.
Honest.

Elizabeth.cannata@csulb.edu - Whenever you get down on yourself or question your parenting, I have two pieces of wisdom or advice for you. Ready?
1) Every mistake, problem, disappointment, etc. your children make is all part of HIS plan to make them into the people they are supposed to be. They need to fall down and make mistakes. They need to behave poorly so they see there are consequences. They need to disappoint you so they will see that you are still there after everything they have done.
2) When I was 16, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease (cancer of my lymph nodes.) I was shaken to my core and to this day (even after having a 10 pound baby) I have never felt pain like that before. In my darkest hours of the night, I would rock back and forth in my mother’s arms begging her to kill me to get relief from the pain. I would cry out to Jesus that if He really loved me why would he put me through this. I was a good girl and never did much wrong. I followed the rules, got good grades, went to church every Sunday, etc. One night was particularly terrible. You see, I had contracted the chicken pox towards the end of my chemo treatments. I was so sick and didn’t have an immune system to fight it off. Fast forward and I was on life support for two weeks and wasn’t expected to survive. When I did, they doctors knew I was a fighter. I was released from the hospital and went home to my mom’s bed. It gave me great comfort just to be in her bed. My dear dad would always get kicked out of the bed and would have to sleep in mine but never once complained. Anyways, I can remember the pain being so bad I was crying and screaming for hours. (As it turned out, the chemo was eating my nerves and I had nerve toxicity.) My mom was holding me and then said “Honey, all we have to do is make it until midnight. Once midnight comes, it is a new day to feel better and you will be one step closer to being cancer free.” That single piece of advice I have carried through my entire life. (I am now 36 and will celebrate 20 years in remission on January 28, 2013.) It was a tangible goal that I could reach and it gave me something to focus on.
I guess I am telling you this for the simple fact that no matter how bad your day might get, once midnight comes, it’s a new day and a chance for your children to make better choices. It’s a new day for you to show them you still love them just as much as you did before they made the mistake and that one thing they can count on is you and your husband’s unconditional love.
I have two boys ages 10 and 7 and the doctors told me I would never be able to have children because the nitrogen mustard chemo would kill all of my eggs. Little did they know I got pregnant 3 months after I got married. When I took my son to meet my oncologist he said, “Shows you how much I know.” I told him I understood why he thought I wouldn’t be able to conceive but that my God was bigger than anyone. My God was the Great Physician and healed my body from the inside out.
I will pray for you as a mother from a mother. And please don’t be so hard on yourself. Having 5 kids must be surreal as I can’t even imagine it. I only have two and am constantly going nuts.
Nurture yourself because you can’t nurture others if you are empty inside. Go get a pedicure, spend the night in a hotel with your hubby, buy yourself something you really want. Be good to you.
Love,
Elizabeth

Christy K - Meg, your heartfelt words brought tears to my eyes this morning. I love coming to your blog daily, and seeing all of the happy posts and pictures. I’m sure a lot of other people do too. But the reality of life is, not every day is perfect and not every moment is happy. It is so easy to just post about all of the nice stuff. The pretty things. Happy, smiling kids. The things we want people to see, to believe. The positives. But often times, we choose not to share the negative. The not-so pretty days. The real life moments. Everyone has THOSE days from time to time. We just choose not to share it. We want people to see only what we want them to see. But you, YOU had the guts to share what was on your mind today, what was in your heart. Your innermost feelings. Being a parent is hard. I know I struggle constantly with the decisions I make. Every single, little choice I make affects not only my life but someone else’s as well. Pretty heavy stuff. No one ever knows how hard it is to be a parent until they become one. Even then, we are still learning. No matter how many children you have, or how long you have been a parent, you are still learning. Every day. You will never be a perfect parent, nor will I, or anyone else for that matter. We do what works best for us, for our children, for our families. The best parenting advice I ever received (and the only advice I ever took) was “Don’t listen to anyone else’s advice.” Keep learning. Every day. Learn from your kids, from Craig, from HIM. There is no RIGHT way to parent. Only what is right for you and your kids. You are NOT alone in the way you are feeling. As a parent, I know that I have felt that way more often than I’d like to admit. You are doing a great job. Even if you don’t feel as though you are, and even if you don’t hear it enough, I am telling you now. You are a great Mama and your kids and Craig are so very blessed to have you in their lives. Never forget that. Let’s make today a better day. Thank you for keeping it real. It’s nice to know I am not alone.

Jenny Joy - I hear you. I feel you. I have four, ages 5, 12, 12 and 14. Some days, I feel like we’re getting it right. Other days… ohmygoodnessNO. But, I think there is great power in admitting that it’s not all rainbows and unicorns and cupcakes. Some days, it’s smelly, terrible MANURE. But, that manure sure can help grow some amazing flowers. Because woman, I am definitely praying for flowers. For both of us.

Amber - I love that you posted this today (yesterday actually). Yesterday morning I was thinking about how being a mom is all about love. I even was thinking about some wall art with Mom as Love in first Corinthians. Mom is patient. Mom is kind…. i thought it would be a really good reminder on those days when I’m not really feeling kind of patient or anything like Love. I think I have a craft project for the weekend.

Sherri P - WOW! Others do go thru the same as we do! Thank you for sharing. My Hubby & I were just saying the same things this weekend. Where did we go wrong??? It’s not that we did, some days it just feels like it. I’m so glad that I have God to turn to in these times, He definitely brings comfort. I love your blog and all that you share with us. Keep Smiling!

Laura Mann - The best post ever…and I’ve read them all. So true, so real, and so much love in that post. Thank you for it!!!!!
“and your marriage too….you have to protect it like a mama grizzly.”
powerful stuff. 🙂

Bobbie - I love that you’re real and that sometime’s all the happy colors can just be gray. Something I realized months ago during a similar time is that we expect our kids to behave act perfectly yet we are 20+ years old and behave the same way, just in different forms. We get mad when our kids are rude to someone yet we roll our eyes behind the lady’s back at the grocery store when she is arguing with the cashier over the 10 cent difference sale price. Sometimes we need to stop expecting perfection from those that are in the midst of learning how to behave and act. Thanks for sharing.

Jeannine - Hi Meg! I’m just getting into the whole motherhood thing (my daughter is only 5 weeks old) so I’m really grateful for any words on parenting that you post. I think it sounds like you’re a fantastic Mom 🙂

Heather - Sometimes I think I want another baby and then remember that they will grow up and be teenagers and then I just want my nieces to have babies that I can hold, smell, and love and give back at the end of the day. Sometimes I think I have no business being a mother. Sometimes I feel like a failure as a mother and that I am probably ruining my kids’ lives. But, as you have stated, Love Never Fails. This Too Shall Pass is another phrase I keep in my mind. All the conflicts and hard times do end up passing. If the basis of the relationship is love, it is solid. You just have to bend with the wind.

donna - I feel the same way with my 6 kids…….it’s overwhelming for sure. And I totally miss when they were babies – but life goes on and we can only be sure to be the best parents we can possibly be – I am sure that you and your husband are probably some of the best out there. It is important for you two to stand together, and it seems like you do – that is the hardest for me,usually my husband and I end up at odds over something that started with the kids………….parenting is hard, I get it – but I also LOVE it. Best of Luck – and one more thing – Thank the Good Lord for school! I don’t know how those people home school!

Regina - Praying for you today and in the days ahead, as I fully understand that these things sometimes aren’t easy fixes. (Our children are 13 and 17)
Here’s to an AMAZING day ahead! (((hugs)))

Terrie G - I so wish that you could be sitting with me in my basement room today…
and we could talk…and you could vent & I could listen…
while we watch my grandson run around and play with his momma & uncles’s old toys!
Good baby fix!!
And then I could tell you that it will be all right.
that I used to pray for my kids to mess up while they were at home
so I could teach and train them. I know I was crazy right?!
Cause they did mess up and did not always make the right choices.
And I know that you and Craig have to ‘do’ it…
but you aren’t alone.
You are surrounded by family, friends & you are lucky enough to tons of bloggy friends…to listen
and give you our nickel advice. 🙂
Don’t try to do it alone…ask for advice…reach out.
I hated those crazy chaos days…thought they would never end, wanted to crawl in bed and not come out…
yeah…those days. Not like it will make you feel much better, but I think we’ve all had them.
Hugs to you!!
And kudos that Craig is right there beside you!
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! Ha!
Come on down the road if you need a get-a-way and play with my grandone!
We’d love the company!! 🙂

Jen - Meg, I think it’s totally normal to get distracted in prayer, but I will promise you this, I will pray for you – no distraction. I hope you do turn this day awesome because you are awesome.