Just in case you ever start thinking I’ve got it all together, or worse, that I think I’ve got it all together, then you’ve got to know this about me:
1. My kids eat Pop Tarts for breakfast quite often. I’m pretty sure those have HFCS and maybe even GMOs, but I try not to lose any sleep over it.
2. I don’t clean out the refrigerator often enough. I almost cleaned it out last week because I smelled something fermenting, but then I found what it was and stopped cleaning.
3. I’m working at losing weight. Why? Because I’ve got weight to lose. I’m 11 pounds down, but I’ve got a long way to go. I’m taking it one day at a time.
4. One day, I’ll make peace with Mt. Washmore, but in the meantime, I’ve got mountains like this one to conquer.
5. If I’m not really good at something, I don’t even try it. And if I do manage to put aside my perfectionism to try it once, I often won’t try it again. I hate failing. That’s why I hated running for so long. I call it the paralysis of perfectionism, and it’s so absurd. It’s a pride issue, an area of sin that I struggle with.
6. Sometimes I question our decision to homeschool, especially when the kids do something crazy and messy, like pulling everything out of the dresser and sitting in the top drawers. If my 4 year old were in preschool, she wouldn’t be home with me to make messes…or memories.
7. I often think “Really?!? They want to eat again? Didn’t I just cook dinner yesterday? I love to cook, but it was so much easier when there wasn’t as much pressure on me to do it.
8. I can’t stand pregnancy. I love babies and the idea of being pregnant, but I don’t like having my life hijacked by 9 months of morning sickness. In fact, I kind of want one more baby right now, as in “let’s get pregnant tomorrow,” but when I think about going through 9 months of misery, having a horribly messy house, and eating too many processed foods because I’m too exhausted from vomiting to cook, I just want to cry. So we’re trying to have a little break from pregnancy right now, unless God has other plans for my womb.
9. I struggle with patience and my temper, which is why I’m taking the Orange Rhino Challenge with a few friends.
10. I generally decide that it’s time to scrub the shower when it becomes its own ecosystem. And no, I won’t show you pictures of that.
And even now, as I prepare to hit “publish” on this post, I’m tempted to change some of it so that you don’t know “the dirt” on Gabby. But transparency is a good thing, so I’ll let you see me as I am, warts and all.
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
I love motherhood & homemaking, really I do, but they are so hard at times and it can be easy to get discouraged. In sharing my struggles with you, it’s not that I want to celebrate my sin or revel in my weaknesses. But I want you to know that when you’re still in your jammies at noon or you lose your temper again with your little girl that I get it. I do.
We are works in progress, and the only way we can make it through the day is by the power of God to supply what we need to make it, in terms of energy, patience, love, and even rest when we realize that the dishes can wait; rest is more important.
I want God to grow me and change me, and through Motherhood, He’s doing just that.
What about you? What’s some evidence that you don’t have it all together? Is there an area of housework that’s tough for you? Hate cooking? What are you challenges?
I can relate to many of your points – especially a refrigerator that doesn’t get cleaned out, struggling with patients, and typically waiting until there is mold growing under the mat in the shower before I scrub it. I don’t wash sheets near often enough and so many other things. 🙂
Glad to know (remember) that we are all in this together. My philosophy is to just do the best I can. . .
I’m glad you’re in the same boat as me. Motherhood is HARD. 🙂
Laundry is a constant struggle. I don’t mind doing laundry… in fact I love it! After all those years of hauling laundry to a laundromat, I relish using my own washer and dryer. But I hate putting it away! I end up with piles on the couch which don’t get put away until the next cycle. Oh well.
I know, it’s so easy to wash & dry it. It’s the folding & putting away that I have a hard time with!
Oh you aren’t alone. Especially on the shower one. yeah, that’s me right there with you!
Yay! It’s always nice to know that I’m in good company.
Um, yes to practically all of these! Moms have a ton to juggle, and we can’t keep it all in the air at once. It’s just physics! 🙂 Love that scripture, too – I shall boast about my weakness too! 🙂
Ah, it’s just physics; I need to keep that in mind. I think my husband would appreciate that truth too.
Oh so true! I can relate to all of these, especially #10. It’s sad really. It’s so much easier to clean before it gets to that point! 🙂
That’s what I hear! I have old school tile in my shower so it’s a pain to scrub now matter how clean or dirty it is.
I relate to everything and I have to add floors. oh my dirty floors, I try to keep them clean but as soon as they are clean someone spills something and then I clean it again and something else is spilled and then I throw in the towel. Also my baby spends more time in her walker than she should because I have trouble keeping my floors clean enough. But the memories are so worth it:)
Agh, the floors are so tough! I understand completely.
Wow…thank you so much for this!!! I’ve been a stay at home mom for about 6 years now and I am constantly getting comments from others that bring me down. The whole “Oh your house must be spotless huh?” or “I bet all your laundry is done!” I feel like I’m failing because I’m not meeting these expectations! But those arnt my jobs. I never wanted to stay home to simply clean. I stayed home to be there for my kids, to watch them grow, to let them know I love them. Not to teach them that a house is always clean. So thank you for being so open!
Visiting from Loved By Grace
And thank you for your sweet words. I know it’s hard; when I first stopped working, I got so many of those “What do you do all day” questions. It can easily get you down, but we know we’re at home to love our babies. No one else can do that like we can.
I love your reality here. Thank you for being vulnerable! Bloggy world needs more of you!!
Thanks for linking up to the Mommy Moments Party!
The Mrs
Thank you for the encouragement, Megan! I’ve been putting off sharing this “vulnerable” post for a few weeks now. 😉 I finally decided to bite the bullet and go for it.
I could have definitely used your wise wisdom when my children were small. I thought I was the only one dealing with these same issues. It’s okay if we’re not perfect and I really think this post is going to bless those mama’s out there that are feeling over-whelmed!
Thank you for linking up this post on my blog! It’s a wonderful post!
Thank you for your encouraging words! I love hearing that I’m not the only one. Sometimes I think I am, but I know that’s just my pride and a tiny bit of foolishness, perhaps.
Oh I can so relate! Mt. Washmore hangs out at our house too! And I really do think that the children swing from the fan blades on occasion..
Mine are too dusty to swing from!! 🙂
It’s so nice to know we’re not alone in the messiness of motherhood. I am with you on all of these points 🙂 Great post! Visiting from Thriving Thursdays.
Thanks so much, Cheri! I’m glad to know that I’m not alone either. 🙂
Hi there Gabby,
Stopping by from SITS. I’m not a mom and I’m very happy about it yet I can relate to this post because my mom did a great job of raising 8 kids. Just the other day, I was putting away groceries then I went to the sink to wash greens, vegetables and prepare food for the week…things I learned from my mom. I thanked God for her example.
As I stood at the sink, I remember my mom at the sink, cleaning chicken, while stirring a pot and mumbling about the laundry she needed to take out of the machine. I thought to myself, food preparation is exhausting then I took to Twitter to give my mother a shout out for doing it daily. Hats off to you, hats off to my mom and hats off to all the moms out there.
What I love most about this post is the Bible verse you inserted and the mention of relying on God. That’s what kept my mother going and that is what continues to keep her going. God bless you as you navigate motherhood.
You are definitely not alone! I had dishes sitting in my sink for the past 2 days! I did them this morning! And why is that? Cuz we hung out with friends the past few evenings. God has been teaching me that fellowship > chores. Don’t get me wrong! I go crazy when my house isn’t picked up and clean, but God has been teaching me that He doesn’t want me to miss moments with friends, family, and my husband and child, because my to-do list got in the way. 🙂 Stopping by from SITS Sharefest!
Just posted this to my Facebook and MOPS group. Very relatable. Thanks for helping me see I’m not alone!
I think I remember reading this when you first posted it; I enjoyed it again! I seriously laughed at that refrigerator comment. That is sooooo me! Evidence that I don’t have it all together? That I don’t have any cool tips to share with everyone about motherhood; I’m with you…we’re works in progress. Praise God for his never ending grace that really is sufficient. 🙂
Caroline @ Anchored In His Grace recently posted…Our Fifth Childbirth: Surprise!
Yes!! So glad God takes care of my inadequacies.