Tired Timeline….

One thing is true about being a mommy…. when you have children YOU ARE TIRED!!  I mean, really tired – you are up early and you stay up late; you run around the house cleaning things, doing laundry and picking up toys; you drive the van from store to store or from doctor to doctor; you cook breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks; you craft, paint, do puzzles, read, make Lego creations, build castles, and sample “snacks” your kids made with play food; you teach and disciple and mentor; you listen to their stories, excuses and problems; you settle arguments and repair relationships…. and MORE!  I hear it doesn’t get better when they get older because they stay up later, make you worry more and you as the mom is getting older as well!  Oh, boy!

A few weeks ago a friend who has four children about the same ages as ours, asked me about being tired.  It got me thinking about my own tiredness.. yup, I am right their with her.  But why?  I decided that a Tired Timeline was the best way to explain my conclusions! 

In June of 2006 we found out that I was pregnant!  We were delighted!  I had the usual 9 joyous months of pregnancy….before Grace Elizabeth was born in February 2007! I nursed her for 10 months.

Then in July of 2008 we found out that we were expecting!  Once again we were so excited…. we truly felt blessed since we wanted more than one child and were so thankful that our two children would be about 2 years apart.  Hannah Joy arrived in March 2009… just 2 weeks after Grace’s 2nd birthday!  I nursed Hannah for 11 months until…

We found out in January 2010 that we were expecting baby number THREE!  WOW!!  We were surprised but so thankful!  I had another great pregnancy even though we moved half-way across the country and had to change doctors and hospitals and now knew NO ONE at our new church! But another healthy baby – a BOY, Josiah James – was born in October 2010. I nursed Josiah for 11 months until ……

in September 2011 we discovered that we were going to have NUMBER FOUR!!! WOW!!!  Blessed… that is exactly what we were thinking!! We were so thrilled that our quiver was filling with arrows!  In May 2012 Caleb Andrew was born…. and I am just about done nursing him! He is 10 months old. No, I am NOT pregnant!! 

But as I look over this timeline, it becomes pretty obvious why I have been so tired: I have been pregnant or nursing since June 2008!  That is almost 5 years!!  That is SURE to drain you and be physically demanding!  I AM NOT COMPLAINING!!  I have the BEST job in the world and I LOVE my co-workers! :)  I think it is such an honor to be a mom…. to be the mom of the best kids there are.  They can drive me crazy and I can get frustrated at times, but I love them and I love being their mommy!  But since I figured this out (5 years of pregnancy or nursing), I have been able to give myself a break… to take a nap if I am tired… to go to bed early if I need to…. I have been busy…. I am a crazy busy mom and I have 4 rugrats to prove it – ages 6, 4, 2, and 10 months!!!