The Weight of Motherhood...

Sometimes it can feel heavy and overwhelming. We spend our days checking off a mental checklist that never seems to get any smaller. We worry. We celebrate the small accomplishments. We celebrate the big ones too.

We worry some more. We pack lunches, and backpacks. We listen to stories about art class and snack time. We change diapers, kiss boo boos, and reassure our kids time and time again that everything is going to be alright.

We run errands. We cart kids back and forth to their activities and often find ourselves running on caffeine and the mere knowledge that bedtime will eventually arrive. We try as hard as we can to feed our families healthy, well balanced meals, but sometimes a trip through the drive-thru is necessary and appreciated.

We work. We play. We love.

Sometimes we cry a little when the phone rings and our husband tells us he is running late, because being surrounded by miniature versions of yourself all day can be exhausting.

We smile. We hug. We kiss.

We get up early and go to bed late. We tuck our kids in and answer school emails. We wash the clothes and fold them. We check on our kids before heading to bed for the night. We kiss their sweet foreheads, and in that moment all the stress briefly washes away. We see the reason. We know we will keep doing all of the mundane and hard stuff because of the love. We smile.

Behind every mother's smile is a person who worries. She worries because she loves. There is no such thing as a perfect mother. There is love. The love we have for our children is what drives us. It's our motivation and our determination.

It's OK to need a break. It's OK to recharge. You are human. We are all human. It's okay to cry. You cannot be expected to laugh and smile all the time. You are allowed to cry. You are allowed to go to bed early and let the laundry sit undone. You are allowed to feel the other emotions that run deep behind your smile. The weight of the world is not yours to carry. You are a mother. You are already someone's entire world and carrying them is what you were meant to do. Every once in a while though, allow someone to carry you. The weight of motherhood is easier that way.

This originally appeared on Outsmarted Mommy