Smiles and Giggles

Holy cow parenting is just plan hard, yet so many different rewards. That cute little smile you get when you hand them a special treat, that hug that was unexpected, those adorable giggles you hear when you tickle their tummies. Yet I have felt I have been so consumed with just the necessities of life and then my health. I won’t go into many details, but the migraines are not being very helpful in my job as a mom.

So something had to change. I have to be a loving caring mom. When I include trying to teach 4 children academics, deal with behaviors several times during the teaching process, keep up with household chores, insurance calls, therapy visits, migraines, and much more I could not breath, let alone be a caring mom. I am NOT "Supermom" and I am really tired of people saying, “Wow I could not do that. I just think what you are doing for these kids is so amazing.” Ugh…if they only knew that my super cape flew out the carpool window years ago. I am tired and worn out. My emotional, physical and mental tank has been sucking on fumes.

Change has happened. We enrolled our 3^rd and 1^st graders into public school. *sigh* Hard decision, yet a peace about it. Yes all the paperwork that comes with that was an added stress, but it is done. Adjusting to the new schedule has been hard, but do-able.

It has been 2 weeks and I am just now starting to feel less stress. I have more time to teach and love on my older girls. I joined a fitness place and I am starting to work-out more. The kids are loving it and they seem to have gotten great teachers. In fact the older girls are LOVING it too. They get more time with me and the quiet. Yes the "I can think" quiet in the mornings are astounding!

Now I feel like I can enjoy and even notices those rewards of being a mom. You know; those cute smiles and giggles, the “thanks mom”, “love you mom”, the boo-boos that only I can heal. Yes, I am blessed. I took the advice of a great person, “You need to put your oxygen mask on before you can put one onto your kids.” Thanks!