The best of times....the worst of times

Having a baby is the best thing to ever happen to us. Having a baby is the hardest thing we've ever done. Here's how I see it. Right now, Drew is on a YL Non-Stop weekend...that's 40 Park Hill kids, a chartered bus, snow, rollerskating, bowling, a movie and the mall of America in 36 hours. No sleep. I'm at home...with Elijah. A small but powerful almost 4 month old. We've had a big day. A Happy morning with lots of smiles, laughs and work out time together (me doing Pilates, Elijah in his fish gym). Then we had a long and rough afternoon and evening. He cries so hard. He wants a ton of attention. I can't do much with one hand. He has decided he doesn't like to nurse for very long, it's too boring he says. This makes him fussy and angry too soon. He also doesn't like to sleep when he's tired, he'd rather see the world- he hates to miss anything- or he wants to talk to mommy Not sleeping, also makes him fussy and angry. So, we've had a fussy and angry afternoon and evening.

( I want to insert a picture here but when I upload them...they aren't here! This makes me fussy and angry :) )


I got to thinking, "I thought being a Young Life leader was hard. You have to earn the right to talk to high school kids who think you're wierd to be pregnant in their lunch room, then you have to learn to text message, stay up late at sleepovers, talk to parents, listen to heart wrenching stories about their lives, and love them through many mistakes". This is all very challenging but today I realized, as a YL leader, I don't go home with the girls. I don't feed them, love them in the middle of the night, worry about what time they get home, or put up with temper tantrums. As a parent, this is all ahead of me. I think it might be easier if I was on Non-Stop right now.

However, the worst of times just ended. As I was nursing Elijah for bedtime, I was starting to become frustrated with his lack of sucking/desire to sit up and talk, when I sat him up and found my nursing pad stuck to his leg. I couldn't help but start to laugh...hard. He looked at me and his whole face was taken over by his amazing, arresting, awesome smile. He thought it was funny too. Then we cuddled. Read stories. And prayed. Now he's sleeping. The best of times are the best.

So, Drew will return tomorrow worn out from being up all night for two nights in a row with 17 year olds, and I'll be worn out from a fun and character refining day with our precious 17 week old. And we'll both have learned that life isn't supposed to be easy. It's supposed to be about loving people well. Sacrificing to serve, and relying on Christ for the strength to do it again the next day.