Ma Maven | The Mom Without A Manual

My job doesn’t pay too well, or at all. Currently, I am still on the clock and I’ve been working since 3:00 a.m. I’ve had a lot of late nights and early mornings before but nothing like this. It seems like it’s been an ongoing trend where I wake up in preparation for my day, then the kids get up and play their part. As happy and thankful as I am to have little ones to watch over, this really has been difficult.

I find myself constantly reminding my husband that this is just the season that we’re in. Having two children under two means one goes to bed while the other one is waking up. By the time we get one settled the other one is having a full-blown meltdown. And that’s okay because they grow up so fast and it’s a part of their little lives. I’ve learned that from watching how fast my 8-year-old has grown. I feel like I just had him yesterday.

Days like today really are tough and I wanted to document it because when I look back on all the things my mother has traversed through while raising my sisters and I, there’s no way my young mind would have ever imagined how she did it. I’m thankful that I can go to her now and ask but I know that the feelings and the raw emotions will not be the same when she recalls the times.

I’m not here to say that motherhood is terrible or talk down about it but it is rough. Even when you have a spouse. It’s like there are not enough hands to help with all the things that parenthood throws at you.

For instance, at the time that I’m writing this, I’ve been working a 16-hour shift and counting. There have been no naps for me or breaks in between. Yes, I’ve found time to barely use the bathroom by myself and a few minutes to cook a proper meal for when my family.

So here I am thinking that I’ve accomplished something by preparing a meal for my husband to enjoy when he gets home. I have somewhat tidied up the house and had the diffuser running with some sweet-smelling essential oils. The idea was when he walks in he would be greeted with love and know he’s in a place of peace. And yes that includes the kids screaming and running around because they look forward to hugs and kisses from their Pop.

Instead, I had to call him 2 hours before he got off work to let him know that the severe thunderstorm which passed through earlier in the day had caused major flooding in our basement. This now meant that as soon as my husband returned home he has to get right back to work. Taking pictures of the damage, cleaning up the water, moving furniture, and ripping out the carpet to prevent mold and mildew from settling in.

I already feel like the work week goes by super fast and our time spent together is limited. Now I’m adding the fact that I am greatly exhausted from keeping up with the kids and being up before the break of dawn. From diaper explosions to temper tantrums and the occasional throw-up down my shirt, now I am required to push past my exhaustion to assess and assist with the water damage. I may just have to cry about this later.

This day serves as a reminder that it is simply a tough season for us as parents. I can only assume that it’s a tough season for many mothers out there with young babies who cannot quite care for themselves yet. I am here to say hang in there and let’s cry about it later.