Is it worth it?

Kids.
Marriage.
Family life.
The whole ordeal.

Is it worth it?

Are the sleepless nights worth it?

In that moment when I’m barely awake and attending to my baby, I’d be lying if I said yes. But in an instant, in the blink of an eye when my baby makes that beautiful newborn sound, my heart melts, and for a split second my puffy eyes don’t burn anymore.

Are the petty arguments between husband and wife worth it? In the heat of the moment, I’d surely rather turn my back, walk away and say “to hell with you”. But somewhere in the midst of all the chaos, I find myself grateful that I have someone to do life with. I’m grateful I’m not alone. I’m thankful.

Are the countless accidents while potty training worth it?

When I’m stripping the sheets and doing laundry at 3 am, I’d be lying if I said yes.

But when my little girl jumps up and down with joy because she didn’t have an accident today, my heart trembles with pride for her.

Is the constant head throbbing worth it?

Being around their high pitched screaming every waking hour of every day, I’d be lying if I said yes.

But, when your kids finally get along and play in peace, the throbbing subsides for just a minute and puts a smile on your face.

A sense of accomplishment takes over you, a sense of 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭.

And at that moment you count your blessings twice.

When I see parents with special needs children, I count my blessings a hundred times over. How delicate their hearts may be and how much pain they must carry with them. But it’s amazing how they are determined to persist.

When I see a mom struggling at the grocery store, face flushed with embarrassment because her young won’t cooperate, I offer the help and count my blessings twice. Because surely, this was me just yesterday.

When I’m cashing out in the grocery store buying my children their favourite foods, I count my blessings all the way home.

So if you’re asking me if all the physical and mental exhaustion is worth it, I can’t give you a simple yes or no answer because it’s so much more than that.

There’s just too much to it. But am I grateful during this phase? Am I grateful when I have to make 3 kinds of dinners? Yes, because I’m able to, and that in itself is a dream for others.

We often forget that we have what we once prayed for.

We often forget that more often than not, we’re better off than someone else whose struggles outweigh ours.