not what I expected

In the movie Moms Night Out (just gonna warn you - I'm probably going to quote this movie frequently. It is just too relatable), there is a line that the mom says that is pretty much an exact quote of what I have told my husband numerous times. 

I have felt guilty admitting this. Heartbroken also. But it is the truth. 

Here is my version of the quote:

Ever since I was little, all I wanted to do was grow up and be a mommy, but it's not at all what I thought it would be.

*sigh* 

Playing pretend as a little girl, I loved being a mommy to my dolls. I had a little kitchen set and I would cook for them and feed and burp them. I would change their clothes and put them down for a nap. My heart was full when I pretended to be a mommy. I just knew that's what I wanted to do. My Mom was a fantastic mom. I wanted to be the same. Going to a 4 year college was just something I did as a just-in-case, precautionary sort of thing. 

And then mommyhood actually happened. We took our munchkin home from the hospital and started figuring out what we needed to do for the 3 of us to survive. We thought it'd get easier as Jayne got older. Not really. There's always just another stage to work through. Then we added Lincoln. Two little ones to grow. 

Potty-training

Pre-school

Temper tantrums

Playing nice

Choosing friends

Making good choices

Eating good foods

Lying

Sneaking

Bad attitude

Bad language

Complaining, whining, moaning, groaning 

Being lazy

Disobeying

Rebelling

Too much TV

Too many electronics

Go outside to play!!

Quit talking back to me!!

Because I said so!!

AUGH!!!

Oh my goodness - so many hard things! So many battles. So much frustration. So much exhaustion. So many things we didn't anticipate. 

Being a mommy was not just cuddles and coos and snuggles and "I love you's."  It was, and is, really hard work.

But the results are so much more than I anticipated:

The amazing connection in the first few days of our children's lives

Watching milestones in the first year of their lives

Eating

Sitting up

Crawling

Walking

Talking

Watching their personalities blossom

Seeing kindness

Thoughtfulness

Generosity

Patience (oh wait, that doesn't really develop as much until you become a parent!)

Watching them become responsible

Make friends

Listening to their plans for their future

Dreaming with them

Hugs

Kisses

Snuggles and cuddles

"I love you"

Hearing them accept Jesus as their Savior

Ever since I was little, all I wanted to do was grow up and be a mommy, but it's not at all what I thought it would be.

It's more.

So much more.

KC