Hey, Mama! Are you completely maxed-out?
Have you ever been in a season of life where you as wife, mom--or whatever relationship title you hold--have to just adopt a 'survival mode?'
In July of 2015, our third child, Trent Michael James, was born. What a gift from God; we love him so much!
I noticed after he was born, however, that for increasing minutes/hours of the day and night, he would just cry. There was really no consistent way to comfort him. After several doctor visits and a few tests, our doctor (who was a practicing pedatrician for well over 20 years) told us he believed this to be one of the worst cases of colic he has ever worked with. Just what an exhausted mom with 2 other kids, a husband and a job, really wanted to hear!
Mainly because...there is no quick fix, cure or built-in ending for colic. Their body just has to right itself on its own time table. I know everyone has a suggestion and a natural remedy to try...believe me...you name it, I tried it! (*Although weekly chiropractic adjustments for the baby did add temporary relief, and were the salvation of my sanity!)
It lasted for 5 months...(tap the microphone)...MONTHS, not weeks or days. He screamed pretty much non-stop for 5 months.
I had 2 other kids, a husband and job. Life simply had to keep going. So, I adopted survival mode. Making sure my kids and husband were fed and their clothes were clean for the next day. That's it. A monumental task, I might add, with a screaming child in my arms literally all day long. (You do NOT want to know what my house looked like during those months; and I am a HUGE house perfectionist!)
I have always been very healthy minded when it comes to food, thanks to the training of my awesome mom. My meals are not usually 'fatty' and 'junky.' I always cooked and prepared 3 healthy meals a day.
During those months, needless to say, I got away from healthy and drifted to quick and easy--whatever that was! My kids still got fruit and veggies, just randomly. And don't beat yourself up if that's what season you are in right now! Your kids will survive. :)
Yes, I got a little stuck in a rut. Oh, I got back to cooking healthy dinners for the most part, but our snacking and 'grab and go' habits really affected our food routines. Slowly over the next year or so, I got back to healthy cooking and snacking habits. (I will share a post this week of an AWESOME healthy pancake recipe I found, fluffy delicious and super healthy--very much kid approved!)
I just felt like God would have me share this post, several years later, to encourage any mamas out there who are in a crazy season of some kind. You're doing fine! God can use you right where you are. He gave you those kids or that life situation knowing you would be the very best at it! (...with His help, of course!) Be patient with yourself and just take little steps at a time.
If you are a mom in a crazy season of life--totally in survival mode--we all get that. It happens sometimes. Don't beat yourself up; do what you can do for right now. Prioritize! Your house should be secondary during these seasons to the people that live in them! And, believe me, it pains this perfectionist to even say that. :) But God taught me a LOT about priorities during that season of my life!
Follow along if you want to share some of my favorite healthy brands, healthy meal tips and recipes and just for-real moments God has taught me along the way. My posts are usually very short and to the point. I know 'mom down time' is extremely valuable. :)
Feel free to share some of your favorite healthy snacks or tips in the comments too!
