Sometimes I’ll be deep in conversation with another mom and she’ll be opening up and pouring out her heart about how tough her job as a mom is and then suddenly she’ll stop. She’ll look me in the eye and say something like “You must think I’m ridiculous to be complaining about life with 2 kids when you have 6.”
It’s never the case though. I look her back in the eyes and tell her exactly how I feel. I remember what it’s like to have 1, to have 3, 4, 5 and then 6. Where you are at is the hardest place you’ll ever be because it’s where you are in this moment. When I had 1 I couldn’t imagine life with any more. When I had 3, four seemed impossible…
Don’t belittle where you are. It’s part of the comparison game. Don’t look at someone else handling more and seemingly doing it better than you and compare yourself to her. The truth is you only have the grace for what you have right now. And she? She has the grace for what God has called her to right now.
Having 6 kids defines me in a lot of ways. It earns me credit sometimes even when credit isn’t due. Having 6 kids has been the hardest thing ever but also the most rewarding thing. But it doesn’t make me a better mom than anyone else. It doesn’t mean I have super powers or am incredibly organized or always on top of things. It only means that this is what I am called to.
If you are called to less kids than I am it doesn’t mean, in any way, that you are less than. I know this and I really hope you do too.
Each of my children are a calling of God on my life and each of them have been challenging AND rewarding. I have grown to love the call of motherhood that is on my life and I pray that you love the call on your life too. And this is whether you are called to 1, 2, 6, 10 or 19.
