This morning while I drank my cup of coffee and relaxed with my feet up, oh wait, that didn't happen. I have a 10 month old. Lets rephrase that.
This morning as I chased my 10 month old around, coffee in hand, telling him "No. Owie. No. Yucky. No. Don't chew on that." I took the time to smile and laugh each time. I still can't believe this is my life. I know I say it all of the time, but am I dreaming? Do I really get to be this little boy's mommy? Someone pinch me please! Everyone always told me the phrases like motherhood will change your life. Its the best job ever but also the hardest. Enjoy your free time because you won't have it again until he's 18. Or I have to laugh at this one, Just wait until he poops on you.
I would listen to this so-called "advice" from moms who've been through it before and shrug it off. After so many years of trying to grow our family, to put it honestly, I was sick of everyone's advice. First they were giving me tips on how to get knocked up, which believe me, I'm sure I'd tried long before they suggested it, and now they're giving me parenting advice. They hadn't walked in my shoes, so they sure as heck don't know a thing about it, is what I'd think to myself, but now life is different.
It's that time of year where people start making resolutions for the new year. I was talking with a client of mine last night and I said to her that my resolution this year will be to not have one, but then today I started thinking. There have been so many times in the past few years that I've become bitter by someone's attempt to just be helpful. Whether it would be from advice about conceiving, advice about infertility treatments, their views on adoption and now parenting advice. It made me wonder if these people and their advice were placed into my life as a test from God to see how I would react? Was God wondering If I would snap at the lady who told me "What? You can't have kids. That sucks!" Was God testing my reaction to the person who told me "If you were meant to be a mom, you'd be pregnant."
These comments were rude and hurtful, yet I survived and I didn't bite their heads off, although I wanted to. I think I passed His test.
So this year as I think about a new year's resolution I've decided I do need to make a resolution. In fact, I'm making two. My first resolution will be to accept people's advice , no matter what it is, as a teaching from God. He brings people into my life for a reason. We will never know that reason. Sometimes its to open your eyes to what you've been doing wrong and other times its to reassure you that you are doing things right. My second resolution will be to always give my son my undevided attention. (Don't worry, he's napping so its ok to be blogging.) When there are times that I'm chasing him and exhausted, which are a lot these days, I will look to God and give thanks. He gave me this beautiful gift of motherhood. It is a tough job and it is the best job and as a mom I can now give advice too, you see, I might just be put on this earth to test another mother. It might even be you.
