I’m tired.

The Privilege of Being Tired

I love being a mom, but there are some days in which the needs feel constant.  Diapers to change, groceries to buy (if we could ever find everyone’s shoes and get out the door!), meals to prepare, dishes to wash, boo-boos to kiss, quarrels to mediate, homework to help with, lost toys to find, stories to read, and more questions than you ever answered in your life.  The questions, in particular, wear me out.

When are we going to…?  Where is my…?  What are we having for dinner?  Can I have a….?

And at the store…

Can we get yogurt? Can we get cookies? Can we get ice cream? Can I get my own pack of gum?

And someone will invariably comment (as one of the boys dances around the cart and one of them jumps backwards down the aisle and one of them runs into the shelf with the stroller), “Wow, you have your hands full!”

Yes, we do.

Our hands are very, very full.

But thankfully, grocery store commenter, children are more than just little work generators.  They are not merely mess-producing machines that run around our house and ruin everything.  If they were, we would have stopped after one.  Or maybe had none at all!

But we don’t just get poopy diapers.  We also get baby kisses.  And first words.

We get pre-teen moods and long conversations about difficult issues.  But we also get glimpses of a boy turning into a man.

The Privilege of Being Tired

We are tired because we get to stay up late putting together a play kitchen so that the birthday girl can see it when she comes down in the morning.

The Privilege of Being Tired

We are tired because this same little girl was up from 11:00 p.m. until after 1:00 a.m. the other night because she was uncomfortable with some unknown issue.  We snuggled and read books on the couch.  And the next morning, Daddy and I were both VERY TIRED but we know that there are a lot of people who long for children and would give anything to be this kind of tired.

We are tired because we watched our son play a soccer double-header.

The Privilege of Being Tired

We are tired from the endless laundry – evidence of the fact that we have plenty of clothes to wear, and that we are healthy and can play outside in the dirt.

We wipe a lot of faces and wash a lot of dishes because we have the privilege of having food to eat and enjoy.

(And sometimes, we get to go out to eat!)

The Privilege of Being Tired

Our days are full.  We don’t have a lot of time for mindless reading, sitting and relaxing, or watching TV.  But what’s TV when you have baby giggles?

The Privilege of Being Tired

Yes, these five people wear me completely out some days.

The Privilege of Being Tired

But even though my eyes glaze over at night after they are in bed and I struggle to stay awake in the doctor’s waiting room (because I never sit down for that long!)…

I’d say it’s a privilege to be tired.

Happy Mother’s Day, my dear fellow moms! (And I hope that your family gives you time for a nap!)

6 Comments

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  1. Soozoo May 8, 2015

    2,000 thumbs up! Thanks, and Happy Mother's Day to you too.

    Reply
  2. Mel May 8, 2015

    You ARE blessed!!

    Reply
    1. Crystal May 8, 2015

      Thanks! I needed this I feel the same way every day and sometimes forget to count all the stresses for the true blessings that they really are. Happy Mother's Day to you. You have a beautiful family and it's so great that you have been blessed with 5 awesome and healthy children. I have three amazing kids as well, and I get so tired of the " You have your hands full" comments in the grocery stores. My heart and hands are full, but I would have it any other way.

      Reply
  3. Tracey May 9, 2015

    I think you just summed up the feelings of so many Mums. Thank you. And thank you for your many great activities my boys and I love picking an activity of your website and making it our own. It often starts off like yours and then gets a little added creativity.

    Reply
  4. Becky, aka Simply 'Burbs Mama May 10, 2015

    Oh! I love this!
    Yes, life is exhausting, messy, chaotic, loud, monotonous and, at times, very trying. But life is also full of so much good stuff too.
    Well said mama, well said.

    Reply
  5. JJ May 10, 2015

    Oh those tippy-toes!!! And the title alone made me smile and tear up all at once! :o) Happy Mother's Day to you and God Bless...you have been such a blessing to me!

    JJ
    www.dressupnotdown.blogspot.com

    Reply
  6. Sarah Jo May 13, 2015

    So true!

    Reply

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