I’ve never been one for excessive optimism regarding my capacity to handle my kids. I wish I was. I wish I was the type to bound out of bed in the morning with a big “Let’s do this!” fist pump in the air. Instead my first thought tends to be more of the “If I bury my head deeply under the covers, maybe they won’t be able to find me?” variety.
I love my children. Excessively. But I’ve made no secret about the fact that I feel entirely overwhelmed by them–almost always. And the older I get and the more I know myself, I become exceedingly convinced that my personality type doesn’t fit with having young children. What?? I know, this sounds a bit contrived. But here’s my logic: if my natural bent is to find renewal and energy in time spent alone, our current frenzy of group bathroom trips and the need for Mommy to help with Every Single Thing allows for very few of these restorative solitary moments. When they are in school a bit more or able to pour their own cereal, my sanity might have a better shot at existing. For now, it’s dicey.
It’s dicey, and I spend 95% of my days counteracting the stream of “I can’t do this” thinking. I fantasize a lot about naps, wish desperately for an available friend who wouldn’t think me crazy, mantra “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” and call my husband at work in defeated panicky tears during the moments when things like trying to get both children in their car seats and leave the house on time gets to be too much. Somehow we get through and today becomes a yesterday and we move on.
And somehow my kids seem to being doing okay. Better than okay, actually. They’re pretty happy, which I think might be the biggest win in this life. God knows how this happens, because to me, our days feel like a full-on circus show of chaos. But somehow it’s happening.
I will never forget one day, when my son was just over a year old when I was lamenting to a friend, “I have no idea how I’m going to do this.” “But Mer,” she said, “You already ARE doing this.” I’ll never forget her words because I’d never before considered that maybe life is what happens when we aren’t paying attention.
Maybe succeeding at something isn’t some grand finale line we cross or finish, it’s just waking up every day and doing what’s in front of us. Whether we feel like stuffing our head under the covers or not.
Maybe doing something is what happens when we are trying to figure out how to do it.
And maybe, just maybe, I was already doing it.
I was taking care of the children I had no idea how to take care of. Huh.
In the good moments, you know the non 4pm-I’m-going-to-beat-my-head-against-the-wall-if-one-more-little-person-whines-for-one-more-little-thing moments, this positive thinking started to take root. And then, as if God knew I needed I little confirmation to seal the deal on my belief that I might actually be able to handle my children, He gave me my Firework Moment on July 4th.
You see, we’d always avoided Fireworks like the plague. We are very early-to-bed, early-to-rise people and the thought of dragging fussy kids out late and getting stuck in hours of traffic never seemed appealing. And then this year, our son asked to go. So we did some ill-informed brainstorming about where best to park, packed up the lawn chairs and drove off in the truck.
And you know what? It was awesome. Setting up the chairs in the truck bed in the back of the parking lot gave a us a sweet height vantage point (and made us feel very redneck boss). We were able to throw everyone in their car seats quickly and peal out early to avoid long exit lines. But that wasn’t the victory.
The victory was the moment when, holding my son on my lap as the fireworks boomed overhead, I looked over to my husband, holding our daughter on his lap, both of them captivated by the show. And I thought, “We did this. Wow, we did this!” We had done the very grown up thing of taking our kids out to fireworks. And we were going to wake up at home the next morning and feed them breakfast and keep them safe and happy. We were going to keep taking care of them. We were taking care of them.
Wow.
My Firework Moment. The moment I got it; I was taking care of my kids and I could do it.
I don’t know that we will ever really feel like we’ve got this, friends, but the thing is, we do. I’m here to tell you in all those lonely days of doubting yourself, you don’t need to. You don’t need to doubt you can do it, because you’re already doing it. You’ve got this. Really.
***This post dedicated to my dad, who listened to me whine all day on July 4th about having to take my children out so late. He told me to buck up, and that I’d probably get a blog post out of it. He was right. As always.***
First image credit: depositphotos.com, image ID:9399579, copyright:anterovium
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The Dose Of Reality says
Love this and those moments! We had a similar one on July 4th as well! :)-Ashley
Meredith says
The magic of those fireworks, Ashley 😉
Janine Huldie says
Aw, we finally did this for the first time last year and did also this year, too. And you are right I, too, avoided it like the plague, but both times it was a success. Yet, I get it completely and you once again are preaching 😉
Meredith says
Go you for being brave and stepping out for the fireworks, Janine! 🙂
Nicole Leigh Shaw says
I feel exactly this way when I refuse to wait on long lines or go to county fairs and then, in the middle of it all, I realize the kids are loving it and it was worth it after all.
Way to go!
Meredith says
Right, and that’s the thing–that’s what it’s all about.
Courtney says
Once this door opens up for you, there’s no going back. You are on your way to having big kids, and with big kids comes more freedom. You’ve got this. I’m glad you took the risk!
Meredith says
Thanks, sweet Courtney–the encouragement is appreciated!
Artadorned says
This will make a lovely memory!
http://www.artadorned.com
Meredith says
Those special moments! 🙂
Sisterhood of the Sensible Mom says
You are doing this and more! I’ve seen you in action. xoxo Ellen
Meredith says
Aw, Ellen. Thank you, sweet friend. xo
Anne says
This is great Meredith! Plus your dad sounds awesome!
Meredith says
He is a pretty awesome guy. I think we’ll keep him 😉