the hardest job I ever had

Kids. They're hard work.  And no one can truly prep you for it. No one can warn you about how much of yourself you will end up sacrificing just in the first five years alone. 

When your one year old wakes up in the middle of the night crying with a barking cough that they just can't stop, you sit in the bathroom while steam pours put from the shower.  Then you take them into your bed and you both sleep sitting up so he can breathe better and rest.

When you are potty training your three year old you don't leave the house for 3-5 days.  Because if you do decide to run a quick half hour errand, that child who has been going on the potty for 2 days will have an accident either in their car seat or on the floor of the grocery store.

When your child wets the bed in the middle of the night, you get up and change him out of his pajamas and make him up a bed of blankets and pillows on your bedroom floor knowing that you will have a couple extra loads of laundry the next day.

When your child throws a huge tantrum in Target and you are the family that everyone is staring at, you have sacrificed all of your humility.  Or worse yet, you have a loaded cart of groceries that you have to leave because of their behavior. (Unless you are the type of parent who can handle a screaming child while grocery shopping. I, personally can't).

Your money is no longer yours.  It goes into all the stuff a baby needs. And then into all the stuff a toddler needs. And then into all the stuff a preschooler needs. And then a nice family car and braces and dance or gymnastics or sports!  

And the car. The nice clean car certainly struggles to remain that way.  Sometimes I just give up.  Honestly, I'd love a spotless car but the war against "car mess" drives me insane!

You sacrifice your money, your sleep, your time, your heart (beware: it gets stomped on!), your tears, for your kids.  And what do you get for it?!

So much more than you can imagine.  

You didn't know your heart could love so much.

That love for your child and the love they show back is worth every ounce of sacrifice you have ever given. 

Every night I go in to peek in on my children as they sleep.  And every night it is the same feeling: my heart catches somewhere up in my throat as I just adore my little angels.  *sigh*

Ha! Let's see how I feel in the morning!!

KC