Today I drank cherry lime soda like it was going out of style.
I am not quite sure what the deal was maybe the surprise sunshine attack that we got here in Seattle caused it? Or it could have been the very active baby in my belly who is lying transverse and posterior...this equals a lot of legs and arms constantly pushing out. I have developed this painful hernia because of the four pregnancies in five years thing and my poor abdominal muscles never making their way back to where they belong and those little limbs they are pushing on it. Oy. The things our bodies can do it's crazy and amazing but I feel like I am crawling to the finish line on this one not going to lie.
Simon is really starting to feel better after his tonsillectomy though praise the Lord. It has been a weary few weeks around here not a ton of sleep for Mommy and Daddy so I think I needed the sodas...
And when Simon got home from School this afternoon he seemed tired too and he really wanted a chocolate milk for his healing throat so I obliged him with a yummy one. Lots of syrup and ice cubes just the way he likes it in his new special cup with the big lid and straw that I bought him after his surgery to keep him hydrated. I don't really drink milk but it look good and his eyes were so bright when I handed it to him.
Folks the boy somehow accidentally knocked the entire 16 ounce cup of milk over into a drawer full of all of our DVDs...this is proof that he is my son because that takes skills and that is some kind of crazy move I would have pulled as a kid but oh.mah.gosh I needed more soda after it happened to keep me from saying what was actually going through my mind. I might have had to excuse myself to the locked bathroom for a bit too...a drawer FULL of chocolate milk and movies was not really how I wanted to spend my afternoon. Oy is right.
So many times as a Mom lately I find myself grumbling about how exhausting it is. How painful this season of sleepless nights and tantrums and third trimester miseries can be and I shake my little fist at God. Asking Him to come and relieve me. In fact one night recently one of the boys was up really sick with the flu and I am on my hands and knees literally in tears that it's three in the morning and I am scrubbing the floor and washing sheets and I asked God to please take this exhaustion from me. He reminded me ever so tenderly that He loves me but He is far less concerned with my comfort level than my character and that He promises to never give me more than my weary body can handle.
It doesn't make it easier at all but I hear God speaking to my heart and I do feel His strength when I get to the end of mine. This is kingdom work and it's hard work and it's rewarding work and so I won't feel super guilty about the number of cherry lime sodas I drink. It's all worth it because He is shaping my character and that to me can only be good.
So I am raising my glass to another week, a sunny Monday around these parts. I will take it, the good the hard and the drawers full of milk it's what God has for me and I know there is always more there than I can see.
Cherry Lime Soda
Sparkling Water
A Splash of Grenadine
Fresh Lime Juice
(extra yummy with a splash of soy creamer or cream)
*PS. Emily Peck from Peck Life you won the $25 gift certificate from Oh My Crafts!!! Congrats girl I will get you all hooked up with your prize! Check out Emily's blog if you get a chance it's adorable!
Your tale reminded me so much of days with Roxanne and Seth and all the weeping and cleaning. Hang in there kiddo. XO
ReplyDeleteWhy hello! I won something?! That's amazing, I never win! So exciting! :) That cherry lime soda looks SOO yummy, I crave lime...like a lime juice soaked snow cone, that sounds really good right now. I can't give parenting advice because Sky is only 2 1/2 and he's all I have right now...all I know is that I'm expecting it to get much worse and more tiring before it ever gets better. :) I'm sorry for the chocolate milk... ;(
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that I recently stumbled upon your blog! It refreshes my heart to read your perspective. I am a momma of four sweet kiddos (ages 1,3,6,8 - and yes, I know EXACTLY of the hernia of which you spoke...they HURT!) and I too have weary moments and "drawers full of chocolate milk". It is nice to be reminded that our work is Kingdom Work and that the Lord loves us and trusts us enough to do it! (Even when I make a huge "bad momma" mistake and scream a word my daughter has never heard after she spilled blue tinting toothbrush dye...you know...the kind that tells you where to brush your teeth....all over my hard to find YELLOW shower curtain.) Oy is right.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being so candid and honest in this post. It's so refreshing to know that these feelings are normal! I just had my first baby girl in December but we want a big family so I love reading about yours-gives me something to look forward to!
ReplyDeleteOh Rebekkah! You are a girl after my own heart. That is just the thing I would do or have to clean up. Bless your heart (and your boys!).
ReplyDeleteI so enjoy your blog and you had me with the almond coffee and now the cherr limeade! Love it.
r - you do it all awesomely!!
ReplyDeleteand i don't know how you keep up on your awesome blog too!
good job mama :)
s
Oh, I feel for you and that milk mess. Bless your faithful, persevering heart. Continuing to pray for His strength in your weakness and glad for the refreshment of a cheery-lime soda - looks so good!
ReplyDeleteOh Rebekah! Call for help!! I'm home (mostly) and would gladly come render aid any time necessary. Of course, to do that you'd need my phone number, so I've sent it via email. Don't hesitate to use it! Been there, done that, and while I remember that parts of it are not fun, the rewards of close-in-age kidlets is worthwhile! And when the four of them are ages 17-22? It's AWESOME! :) Praying for a dull, boring end to this pregnancy.
ReplyDeleteI love this: "He reminded me ever so tenderly that He loves me but He is far less concerned with my comfort level than my character and that He promises to never give me more than my weary body can handle."
ReplyDeleteI need to slow down and listen for those reminders. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed I forget to open my heart and listen for the message. ;)
Yum!! You do such a great job with your beautiful family, making the most out of all you've been given...good, bad and painfully hard. Love you (and this post!).
ReplyDelete"He reminded me ever so tenderly that He loves me but He is far less concerned with my comfort level than my character and that He promises to never give me more than my weary body can handle." Oh, stab in the heart...in a good way! Lady, I KNOW that place, and I only wish I could say that I am handling it as gracefully as you seem to be. Thanks for being so very real and for bringing a godly perspective to this mama who is so in need of it right now!
ReplyDeleteYou are in the trenches, sister. You are. This *is* such an exhausting stage. I didn't have our first 4 in 5 years, but I had them in 6... and it was exhausting. With everyone little. It's just SUCH a different ball game than when the children are older. Hang in there. You're speaking truth to yourself... and listening to the Spirit speaking it to you... keep on. It's SO GOOD that you're willing to share and admit that this is *hard*! Just know that it isn't always going to be this hard :) We have 5 now, but my oldest is 11, and it's so much less physically exhausting now.
ReplyDeleteooooo cherry lime soda .... yum yum
ReplyDeletegrace
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Thanks for sharing - as I am up in the early, dark morning - 9 mo. pregnant with our ninth precious child...can't sleep because my hips are bothering me. Due date is Thursday (tomorrow :), and I have also been reflecting on God's loving providence, and how He always gives us the grace to handle the struggles of life. Good luck on your delivery, and do not feel at all badly about lots of soda! It sounds so good to me; I would drink one right now at 5:00 am if I could!
ReplyDeleteI needed this! I am in one of those weeks- just worn out and tired from mothering, and wondering when I will ever get to be me again? Then, just as soon as I get done crying over it, I am reminded how fast and how precious this season is that is passing.
ReplyDeleteWell, first off, I love that soda recipe.
ReplyDeleteYUM!
And I love the photos.
Such great colors.
And lastly, taking care of 3 small people when you are pregnant is hard, hard work.
I had 5 pregnancies in 7 years, and it was very hard.
This last one, caring for the older 3 (we miscarried our 4th baby) was often really hard.
There were days I didn't know how I'd get through the days.
It was one of the hardest things I've ever done.
But you are right, God met me always when I was at my weakest.
I am forever grateful for "all these kids" because more than anything else, they have taught me how utterly unable I am to do this on my own.
I hope you find some moments of rest in your days and nights.
Love from,
Greta
I'm a new reader, and I have to say I'm absolutely smitten with your blog and your sweet, beautiful family. I don't know how I didn't find you sooner. I love everything about the life you share with us here online, and I can only imagine the whimsy and wonder that we don't see. I can only imagine how hard it was to be pregnant with three very little people to care for. I laughed at the sight of you shaking your fist at the Lord. But I would give any and all of my worldly possessions to be able to have babies like you do. See, my body won't allow me to breastfeed and get pregnant. No way, no how. I'm still nursing my 20-month old, Ezra, our second son. I've been praying for months and months for the Lord to bless us with another baby, and nothing. My cycle returned shortly after Ezra's first birthday, and I've been praying and hoping ever since. So on those days where it's all a little overwhelming, and you're praying to God for some relief, think of me on my knees, praying for the life that you've been blessed with. I'm so glad I found your lovely place here, it gives me hope that someday I'll be able to experience four babies in five years (is that right?).
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