How do I know? Yesterday I was up a full two hours before Eli. I had time to make coffee, take a shower, and spend time with God! My day went SO MUCH BETTER! I felt energized and I was productive. I had fun playing with Eli and spending time with Rob. I'm tired of being robbed of those things and feeling like I am not cut out for the life God has given me as a mother, wife and homemaker.
Today I could barely get out of bed. I didn't have a quiet time and felt like I was just dragging through the day. My goal is to be up before Eli every day at least long enough to have time to read my Bible and pray/journal (working in a shower and some coffee before he gets up would be a nice bonus!). I'm also going to turn off the TV and get back to playing praise and worship music during the day so I can remember to keep my focus on God. Mamas, we cannot do this alone! I'm not a good wife or mother on my own. These are hard jobs, and we need God to help us do them well!
So, from now on I will be dragging myself out of bed well before my super cute 11 month old alarm clock goes off. Hopefully after a while there will be less dragging and more joyful jumping out of bed (And sunshine and birds singing. And my hair and makeup will look perfect too. Ok, let's all roll our eyes at that image). Eli needs me to be a good mommy to him, my hubby needs me to be a good wife, and I need a good relationship with my heavenly Father in order to do those things. Mamas, if you are struggling with these things I ask that you would join me in committing to spend time with God every day. He is our fuel (better than coffee!), our teacher, our comforter, and He knows exactly what we need. We can't do this without Him!
I need LOTS of energy to chase this cutie around all day long! 
Melissa,
ReplyDeleteYou know that I've struggled with PPD too. Your post is SO STINKIN' RIGHT ON!!!!! I'm so happy to have Libby at the point where she's in a crib now, because the days that she doesn't wake up when I do (she still comes into bed in the night, so it's the days when I can quietly sneak away from her in the morning, LOL) are so much better. We need that time. I recently realized that when Ed started keeping the kids himself for like an hour here and there (about once a week) and I sit in the car with an iced coffee and read while being parked at the local nature preserve. I love it. It's refreshing. I barely get any reading done b/c I'm talking to God most of the time. It's amazing at how refreshing and how much of a breath we mamas can take when we're alone - like totally alone. I used to think that I was alone when Grace was napping and Libs was asleep in my arms, but it's not the same thing.
GREAT post! I'm so blessed to have you as a friend! :o) (and I mean that - all smoochy, mushy sentimentality included, LOL)
Great post! Thank you for sharing:)
ReplyDeleteAmen, sister! On the days I feel like crap, I set up some toys in the bathroom so Micah will play on the floor while I soak in the tub. And then later I'll pull out a hymnal and sing praise and worship songs to him at the top of my lungs!
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