Today Benjamin and I had our THIRD play-date of the week! We've certainly been spoiled by all the social blessings this week. I am finding that I am not the only stay-at-home mom who feels like pulling out her hair at the end of the day...or sometimes in the middle of the day...even in the mornings sometimes! I am particularly blessed to have several girlfriends here in town who have little ones who are about the same age as Benjamin. It is so nice to find out that Ben is not abnormally whiny or rambunctious; he is a normal little 1-year-old boy.
This afternoon was pretty hilarious - our "dates" were my good friend Sylvia and her little boy, Isaac, who is just 6 weeks older than Ben. The boys were swirling around us, throwing balls, blocks, taking toys from each other...being normal little toddlers, while Sylvia and I tried hard to have a conversation. At one point we had to laugh; it seemed we could never complete a line of thought, being constantly interrupted by a little one falling, or hitting, or getting upset with the other for taking a toy. We agreed that our boys seemed to be unusually rowdy, probably both needing naps.
But what I learned this week is that I'm so thankful for my girlfriends! I was blessed to see at least one each day this week. God knew I would desperately need the diversions (and Ben would need them, too) to keep me going and also the encouragement and blessing that came from being with and talking with each friend. I have come to believe that God gives us our friends for many reasons, but perhaps one of the most important ones is to remind us of His love for us. He encourages me through His Word, through prayer, my church, music -- but the human contact (especially with other believers) is one of the most powerful forms of enouragement to me. I think because it's the kind I understand the best, since it's....well, they're like me...I can relate to other people! Most, anyway. For example, I know that I'm supposed to be a good and patient mom (and I want to be), yet I know I fall so short. So it was nice to hear another mom say that they, too, get frustrated when their kid throws food on the floor for the umpteenth time, or whines all day and won't take a nap, or hits them in the face when she had to tell him "no" yet again. ("No Ben, you cannot play with the butcher knife!" -- he really did try to grab it off the counter) And then it's wonderful to share the sweet times when our children say "mama" or "uh-oh" and all the cute little things they do throughout the day.
Being with my girlfriends this week helped me to again appreciate the privilege of being a mother, at a point when I was becoming frustrated (not just with Ben, but with myself too). It helped me to find the blessings that God gives us in each day, and see the opportunities He's given me to grow in my walk with Him and as His daughter.
And He's continually blessing me...I get to go scrapbook with some girlfriends tonight! I'm also extremely blessed to have an understanding husband who allows me to go do fun things with my friends. Then tomorrow we get to do fun things together as a family! Blessings all around, despite the fatigue and frustrations...I love how God works!
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