I Never Understood...

There are many things I do not understand, however the one thing I have come to realize I never understood until I had kids was the amount of energy it takes to raise them.  It is down right exhausting, trying, gross, devastating, challenging, and worth every minute of it!

I don't know if I thought it was going to be easy, but right now I am grateful my two love bugs are in their beds still at 7:30 am sleeping away their morning because of a couple reasons.  Number one, I know that they are getting the rest they need which will bring the tantrum number down from 100 to 50, and number two, quiet!  For the first time in a long time, I was able to shower and get ready for the day without a child attached to my leg or getting into something they were not suppose to.  I need to thank God that I had this opportunity because I know this event is far and few between.

It seems lately by the time dinner rolls around in our house, I have gotten to the point of exhaustion and my children have gained their third wind.  I just want to eat dinner and begin our bedtime routine, and my kids want to negotiate how many bites they need to have or what is for dessert.  Then they get into a mood of competing with Tyler and I who are trying to have a two minute conversations about our day or reminders we have for each other.  This craziness goes on for about fifteen minutes at the table, until one of us eats our meal quickly and then it is on to cleaning up and referring a fight over a puzzle or something ridiculous.  Oh man…I was refreshed just a few minutes ago, and now that I explained our dinner fiasco I am exhausted.  See just talking about things that occur exhaust me, and that would have never happened ten years ago.

Raising children takes energy from parts of your body you never existed.  Having to stay one step ahead of the chaos is what drains me the quickest.  I never can just sit and get distracted by something simple, otherwise my house may be set on fire or another call to poison control may have to happen.  I guess what I am getting at is that we probably should be appreciative to our parents for raising us with so much energy and enthusiasm, in hopes that one day our kiddos will do the same.  Therefore, I never understood the energy and efforts is took to raise children, and I now come to appreciate the quiet time, nap time, and bedtime for my children a lot more each day.