Seasons of Motherhood

Nikki Lamberg contemplates how a mother's day can be both hard and beautiful at the same time.

Some days are hard, and some days are beautiful. But most days, most days are hard and beautiful at the same time; it’s a concept that seems contradictive and unbelievable, unless you’re a mom.

There are many seasons of life as a mom. There are the early years when you’re learning how to be a parent and still learning who you are as a person now, and you learn to grow up together. There are the adolescent years when you pray your child still hears your voice as they get behind the wheel for the first time or start to experience what real peer pressure is. There are the young-adult years when you need to let them fly, praying so hard that you said all the right things to help them make the right choices as they venture out on their own. And then there are the many years following that you can watch your babies grow up, become independent, and potentially start a family of their own.

I can only speak from experience to the phase of the early years, as my children range from almost 10 to welcoming our fourth child in November, so I can’t pretend to know what parenting is like throughout the other phases. However, I am a firm believer that even though the current stage we are in, no matter what that stage may be, can sometimes feel like the hardest stage yet, there are beautiful moments to be had in each of them.

Some days I feel like I am winning just because I was able to make supper, clean up the kitchen, bathe the kids, brush their teeth, and still have time to spare for a 20-minute movie night, all after a long day at work. And of course, there are also those days when it feels like no one can get along and I must be doing it all wrong. It’s the peaks and valleys of every stage that not only keep life interesting but also help to keep us connected to God through our prayer of thanks and requests.

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During this month of August, our family has been able to pause and take a breath from the whirlwind of those peaks and valleys and summer activities. Although I love what my kids are involved in—I would gladly spend every weekend at the baseball diamond watching them—I am appreciating the downtime we are having right now before school starts in September and all our current and new commitments start up again.

This year I also find myself being more mindful and cognizant of the seasonal changes in our home state of Wisconsin, which helps to keep me grounded and in the moment. These days we are watching the corn tassel out and their leaves start to change to their golden-brown color, indicating to us that summer is coming to an end and fall is quickly approaching. The kids and I have also been watching for the leaves on the trees to change color as well, and this has turned in to a fun game we play on our rides into town.

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While every single moment may not be vibrant or easy, every single moment that we have is a beautiful blessing. #catholicmom

While every single moment may not be vibrant or easy, every single moment that we have is a beautiful blessing and should be cherished as much. I find myself being more mindful of the unexpected pauses God is providing me in our ever-busy lives, especially when they are so obvious after we have learned the lesson God is trying to teach us. For example, my daughter ran off in to the yard when we were trying to leave one day, and I started to feel frustrated at her lack of listening to my instruction. But when she came back with her face full of light and laughter at chasing the butterfly she just saw, I couldn’t help but think it was God telling me to slow down and pause, to make sure I am taking the time to stop and smell the roses or chase those beautiful butterflies too.

It's those little things that help us to stay mindful of our everyday moments, that help us to remain in the present, and remind us to enjoy every moment in every season, the best way that we can.

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