The Struggle is Real.....
- Katie Hunter
- Oct 13, 2015
- 4 min read
Have you ever had one of those days where all your expectations fly out the window? Today was one of those days for me.
It all started with my three year old trying to wake up my four month old who was laying beside me in bed. I am still trying to figure out the whole "I really want you to love your little sister but don't touch, look or breath on her" thing. I just want to know what thoughts are running through his mind right before he pokes her in the eye.
In order to protect her precious sleeping hours, I promptly removed him and myself from the bedroom and relocated to the living room couch, where I immediately cozied into a pile of blankets and turned on Netflix. Should I have used this opportunity to get a 30 minute workout in? Yes. Did I? No.
I also learned that my son has figured out how to play another episode, so my "20 minute nap" turned into a "50 minute dream-land" (giant white dinosaur sea-creatures of my imagination included). Oh yeah. He has preschool today.
Finally I get my tired self up and get my almost two year old out of her crib. She greets me with her usual "Hey!" with pacifier and stuffed animal in tow. Change the diaper. Put her in highchair. Start boiling water, because, yes I am already behind and I think it is the best option to cook some oatmeal versus filling our bowls with cold cereal. Baby begins cooing in other room. When am I going to feed her?
Oatmeal is ready.
Threenager: I don't want oatmeal.
Me: Well you already had some cereal that dad gave you before he left for school. You don't need to eat anything more.
Threenager: But I want more breakfast. *Insert whiney voice here*
Me: Then you can have some oatmeal.
Threenager: But.
Me: Don't even......
Remember how oatmeal is pretty much mush the temperature of molten lava? Had to wait for that bad boy to cool down because I have all the time in the world. Should have gone with the cereal. Finally kids are fed, food is in my belly and threenager is still covered in oatmeal sloup despite "washing" at the sink three times.
This threenager cares more about clothes than most people I know. Of course he prefers to wear the most worn out, raggedy item in his clothes drawer and he also does not understand the concept of cold weather.
Me: Sorry buddy! You can't wear shorts today. It's too cold.
Threenager: But I want to wear shorts.
Me: You will be freezing.
Threenager: But.....
Me: Don't even........
Later, and after much more arguing, we finally make our way to the car. Two year old is still in her striped footie pajamas with curly-haired bed head and no shoes on. Baby girl still hasn't been fed. Bless her little patient heart.
We made it to preschool! Hooray! 90 minutes free of arguing with the "Why? Monster". Now I can go home and workout. Ha ha! Yeah right! Didn't happen. But I did get to feed the baby, so there is that.
I will save you the details of the rest of the day, most of which included more arguing, an argument about arguing, and my two year old going limp fish on me everytime we are walking holding hands, so I have to drag her. She's not crying during this, she is giggling. I tell you, that girl is a tease!
Why am I relating all of this chaos to you? The ultimate reason is so I can tell you that Heavenly Father gets it. He hears you. He hears your prayers. After running around for the entire morning and as we sat in the car in the garage, I sent a silent prayer up to Him. I asked him for help. I asked him for patience. I asked him for comfort.
The children are now in quiet/nap time. The house is still. The birds are chirping outside my window and an email is in my inbox. It's short really, nothing extravagant, but the words "good work" and "I can tell you sing in your home a lot" have brought me the exact feelings of peace and encouragement I had asked for. Not only that, a good friend called and said something along the lines of "I give you credit for the phase of life you are in and I know you are the type of person who is self-reliant and doesn't reach out much for help, but I want to serve you."
As soon as I hung up the phone, I looked heavenward and said "Thank you!"
I know that prayers are sometimes not answered this way, but rather in a different way that the Lord sees fit. But I also know that these prayers were answered by angels on earth, people who have chosen to ask the Lord what they can do and act upon the promptings of the Holy Ghost. It is these angels that help me along my way, even as I stumble. And to these angels and the angels around us that we don't see, I say thank you. Thank you for being an instrument in the Lord's hands! Thank you for being the channel through which He has told me He loves me and is aware of me!
If you ask Him, I know He will answer.
