long and short of mother article

The Long and Short of Motherhood

Time is one of those things that slips away from us unaware. We get so caught up in the day to day that we tend to forget that it is limited.

long and short of mother article

It seems like yesterday Jovie was begging me to read her The Very Busy Spider (animal noises included) for the millionth time. Today, she was curled up on the couch with the afternoon sun warming her shoulders, reading a book to herself.

Sheā€™s growing. They all are.

I don’t feel it when there is rice and play-doh all over the dining room floor, the volume is twelve decimals above the safe listening range, and I’m telling myself to just do the next thing because it’ll be nap time in approximately one hour and six minutes…

But at night when itā€™s quiet and the breeze from the open window is cooling off the chaos, I peek in on my three sleeping munchkins, and I remember. I pause from riding the rushing current, and break to gaze at the scenery.

 

Its changing.

Their legs are stretching beyond the hem of their pajama bottoms, and their tousled hair has grown longer. I feel a twinge of sadness thinking that in a few short years there will be no more chubby cheeks in this house.

What is it about my mother’s heart that wants to scoop them up and hold them tight forever?

I’ve heard it said that our parenting days are long, but the years are short. How true it is.

 

Being aware of time motivates me to be proactive with my kids and the time I have with them…

To work through the aches, pains, and responsibilities of adulthood, and press toward greater goals than the immediate gratification I crave for quietness and rest.

To daily lay myself down to give to their needs and to the development of their minds and hearts.

Remembering that today is a gift. All of it. Rice, play-doh, noise, chaos, sleeping children, cool breezes, and chubby cheeks.

To not wish a minute of time away but to stop and embrace the moments that are here.  

 

 

 

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16 Comments

  1. Beautiful. My babies are taking their nap and it’s quiet. As parents, we do get exhausted in the parenting process but as you have mentioned, they grow very fast. I desire to touch a place in their hearts daily. Even when I have to say the same thing over and over. I desire to love them in a way only a mother can, I desire to watch them slowly grow into people that have been loved with Grace; as they love others. This season of motherhood will come to pass and I hope and pray that we can all enjoy the little moments while we still have them within our reach. Thank you for sharing Jessica ā¤

  2. This post hit close to home as I have four growing children! One who will be a senior in HS next year! Trying to embrace every single moment!

  3. This is beautiful! You are such a loving, present mother. It’s so important to feel this way – because if we don’t, these moments will slip and be gone forever. To be honest, I’m really struggling with this. I am feeling (with just two!) that I am not doing enough with them and that every day is nearly the same. And I’m having a hard time finding the joy most days. But posts like these are helping me find my way again. šŸ™‚

    1. I think its a real struggle for all of us. I think thats what prompts me to write about it so frequently. I have that voice too, that tells me I’m not doing enough and I know I can let it get me down or let it nudge me to slow down enough to see the beauty in it all. <3 <3 <3

  4. Hi Jessica, this post brought Me a few tears. It is something I need, to not wish away the day but to cherish these precious times. Thank you so much, hugs Terri ?

  5. A perfect and lovely post. Time slips away so fast and then our children are grown and gone. Ah, to hold them tight one more time when they are little and need a Mother so much. Happy Mother’s Day to you. Your post brought back many memories of chubby cheeks and play doh fun.

  6. This is so wise– savoring those days that go so fast. I’m a mom of 4 grown kids– 3 with kids of their own now. And you never stop being a mother– loving time with those kids, thinking about their needs, praying for them through their days. Love your post.

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