Thursday, February 9, 2012

giggles and curls, sunshine and roses.

It seems like, these days, I'm often asked what it's like being a mom.  In response, I usually attempt to summarize this scene...


Hilarious, I know!  Hence my attempt to roughly summarize for the benefit of the questioner.  But, see, I worry that it actually ends up scaring the poor non-parent more then it helps, 'cause when it comes to parenting, you just don't get it until you really GET it.  So I end up worrying I'm dissuading them way more then necessary.  Let me explain...

One of my eternal quests is to expose the myth of motherhood...this idea that it's all giggles and curls, sunshine and roses.  That, as the article in our last post so aptly described, it's impossible to carpe diem when you're a mom because the majority of diems are not anything any sane person would want to carpe anyway.  Being a mom is harder work than any toned-tummy, myriad-of-alone-time, non-diaper-bag-toting, baby-free young co-ed can possibly imagine.

But here's the thing...sometimes it actually IS giggles and curls.  Sometimes things come together in a picture-perfect, crystal-clear moment.  What I worry about is that I, in the words of my movie clip, emphasize the awful, awful, awful without fully explaining the times that something incredible and magical happens.  It really IS magical and amazing and incredible.  Not only that, but those perfect moments really DO make it all worth it.  It is so absolutely, indescribably amazing to feel that downy newborn hair, get those gummy infant kisses, hold that little toddler hand, see that crooked pre-schooler signature, smell that little boy sweaty smell, and see that little baby all grown up that words can't even begin to describe it.  To say that it makes it all worth it is the understatement of the century.  It makes everything all worth it...pregnancy, parenthood, even slogging through this thing called mortality.  In those moments, you realize that those little people are the whole reason you are here on this earth.   When we are told, "...men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi, 2:25) as a mother I know that I am so that those little people can be my joy. They are the point.

When I have those moments, it makes the awful, awful, awful seem not all that...well...awful.  In fact, it makes the awful moments feel a lot more like sunshine and roses.