Leftovers, they're what's for dinner.

 Ever feel like being a mom is like being completely destined to get stuck with leftovers?

 I was using "leftover" toilet paper today that had been re-rolled because L.J. had unrolled it down the hallway. I have leftovers on my clothes from L.J. wiping his peanut butter or banana hands on my pant leg. My hair is usually in the same ponytail leftover from yesterday. Who has time for a shower? Leftover makeup? You betcha. Slap some more mascara over that mess and call it good. Some nights, when the kids finally are asleep, after the 3rd nightmare, or puking for the 2nd time and I finish changing sheets again.. I get whatever sleep is leftover. If I am leaving the house, and pack a water bottle to take with me and my children get a hold of it, I have to also eat their leftover snack that they left in my water bottle... I usually end up eating whatever dinner is leftover, if I even have a moment to sit and take a bite. And its usually eaten while I am standing in the kitchen.. And yet, if there are only 2 cookies left and 2 kids, suddenly I am not hungry.

Being a Mommy is so much more than I ever expected it would be.

 {More of everything}
More Leftovers.
 More work.
More body fluids on the floor.
 More stress.
More messes.
More fatigue.
More worry.
More medical bills.
More food to cook and dirty dishes.
More challenges.
More selflessness.

Gosh. I sound pretty negative. I guess I am being real. There have been days where I wish I had been better prepared. That someone had sat me down, and told me the REAL stuff... that being a mom wasn't all giggles and tickles and snuggles. But then again, knowing these things wouldn't change my desire to be a Mom. Being a Mommy is more of all the great stuff too. And I saved it for last because its all of these blessings that make being a Mommy worth wading through all of the tough stuff. All those stinkin' leftovers.

 I find it interesting that most of these "positives" are actually God-given nuggets, made visible through grace when I choose to accept them. Look for them. As my friend Carley would say: "taking tough moments, and turning them to divine reminders of God's grace."  And the crazy thing is, I could type all day and try to explain it, But God already did that so much better than I ever could.

Romans 5:1-5 says 5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

So on to the best part. The GOOD stuff. Being a Mommy is:
More being an example.
More compassion.
More love.
More hugs and kisses.
More appreciating the little things.
More activities.
More Learning.
More appreciating what we have.
More Laughter. (lets face it, kids are hilarious without even trying)
More fulfilling.
More blessing.
More selflessness.

Yeah I put that last one on both lists. There are a lot of days where denying myself and
 
giving and giving and giving

 until I feel completely drained emotionally, physically, mentally, is HARD. REALLY hard. Sometimes I just think "I'm too tired to be a mom today." Far too many times I have fantasized about getting in the car and just driving far away, anywhere, until I run out of gas. To escape the tough stuff. But God has called me to be a mom. And He has not only blessed me, but entrusted me with these 2 boys. And in doing so, He has called me to be selfless...by golly, some days I have a downright crummy attitude about it, but I am constantly praying for God to change my heart and make me more like Him.  And so in counting it as blessing, I am able to see the positive in being selfless. Without doubt, I am a work in progress.
That's obvious. And I am thankful that I actually LIKE leftovers.

 Get a load of my leftover hair and makeup!