When You Can't Be Everywhere At Once

Motherhood can be quite the juggling act. Today I welcome The Better Mom contributor, Amber Lia, to share about enjoying these unique ages and stages of busy motherhood. -XO, Ruth

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My family squeezed into the shady spot on the benches around our local Little League Baseball field and settled in to watch my oldest son play in his first game. I was both excited and nervous--much like my son. Oliver became a big baseball fan during this past year so when the opportunity to play fall ball came along, I signed him up.

Quade, my “happy surprise baby,” sat on my lap, watching intently. Unfortunately, his interest faded only ten minutes into the game. At age 23 months, his little toddler brain was ready to move on to the next thing, only, I wanted to watch his brother on the field! There was no stopping Quade, however. He squirmed and wiggled like it was his job. My husband and I are a great team. We share duties on everything in our daily lives and he graciously swooped our sweet boy into his arms to walk the perimeter of the field to look for leaves and hunt for bugs. A little while later, it was my turn, and so it went, back and forth, back and forth.

I missed some of Oliver’s moments at bat. Guy missed when Oliver got three RBI’s. These toddler days are some of the hardest for us both. We wouldn’t trade having our little boy for all the world, but this stage is often the most physically demanding as we chase our busy toddler from “son up to son down,” keeping an eagle eye on him to keep him safe and sound. It would be easy for me to think of all the things I may be missing out on--like cheering in the stands--in order to be his mom. Instead, God has me focusing on the extra blessings of having Quade in our lives.

Motherhood has shaped my heart more than anything else. God uses every age and stage to refine us and bless us. As a mom of four boys that range from toddlers to tweens, I know that every year of development for my kids is meant to keep me turning back to God. Instead of wishing for the next stage to come, The Lord helps me to remain present, hunting for blessings, much like hunting for bugs on a baseball field!

Psalm 127:3-5 is a familiar and encouraging passage:

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”

It’s true that having children requires a lot of juggling. The rewards far outweigh the sacrifices when we view them through the lens of Scripture. The key for me has  been to focus on what I have and not what I may be missing out on or not able to provide for my kids.

I wondered if Oliver would notice that his dad and I were often missing from the bleachers. As soon as he saw us after the game, he gave us big hugs. “I could hear you and dad cheering for me, Mom!” he beamed. “It meant so much to me!” Oliver was just fine. He proudly scooped his baby brother into his arms and gave his other brothers high fives.

I realized that the things we often worry about as parents, really don’t matter that much to our kids. Taking time to cherish where we are one day at a time, enjoying the unique ages and stages of our kids, and focusing on the blessings of parenthood is not just refining, it’s rewarding, indeed.

Amber