Wednesday 21 August 2013

Humility in Pregnancy


That's right... we're expecting frog #2 (don't worry, the new baby will have a nickname of their very own)! This is right where we'd hoped the second one would make an appearance, so we're very blessed that our plan and God's plan lined up. I'm due in February.

So, I think that my posts are going to go from keeping the house and recipes to survival mode again. During the pregnancy I've had plenty of days that I'm in survival mode with the frog - I lie on the couch while he plays, trying not to move or else I'll be sick. I've fallen far behind with the house, and Mr. K has had to take on the challenge of the frog at night so I can get some much-needed sleep. And mostly, what do I feel (apart from sick and tired)? Guilty of course. As mothers and wives, our resting state seems to be one of guilt. They say a woman's work is never done, and despite the cliche it couldn't be more true. There's always something else I could have cleaned, I could have cooked a better meal, I could have played with the frog more. Never mind comparing ourselves with other mothers, we are our own very worst critics. Add pregnancy insecurity and you've got full-blown meltdown time.

So how do we deal with this guilt? The truth is, I don't know. No matter how much my husband tells me it's okay, I still feel guilty about how much he has to do after a long day at work. Even if the frog seems happy, I still think he must resent that I don't play with him as much anymore. But - no matter how much our mothers managed on their own - we still need the help. I know I do. So I think it's time I asked for a little more patience and a lot more humility. I'm a firm believer that God is preparing me for what's to come. And I know that with 2 kids under two, I won't always be in control. I'll need to let some things go, be able to laugh at myself, say yes instead of always no. Most importantly, I'll need to trust that my husband can do the things I do, even if he doesn't do them exactly MY way. And I think that's the lesson God is teaching me with this pregnancy. I just hope I have the sense to listen.

4 comments:

  1. Congratulations Rachel! :)
    I know what you mean about feeling guilty... Quite often my mama looks around the house during the day and feels terrible that it isn't as clean as she would like it to be. But I think that the most important things are your relationships with your child/ren (:P) and your husband. In five years time, it won't matter so much that the house isn't perfectly tidy or clean, but if you have great relationships with the ones you love that will stand out and last forever. :)
    <3... stay strong and keep smiling! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. WOW!!! Congratulations Rachel!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congrats on #2! For me, everything was easier the second time around, even though I was expecting it to be harder, so don't be scared! Mom-Guilt is something I think we all struggle with. I recently wrote a post about it, mostly as a reminder to myself than to anyone else. I hope you don't mind me posting a link to it here. Imagine it as a virtual hug of encouragement from a Christian sister in the US. :) http://organizinglifewithlittles.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/overcoming-mom-guilt/

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Kelsey, I don't mind at all, thanks for sharing! Thank you for your kind words of encouragement, it's so nice to hear someone say that it was easier the second time around!

    ReplyDelete