What It Takes

Several weeks ago we were up late with Diddles, who had another cold. Josh turned on this Discovery Channel show called Two Weeks in H*##. It documents the selection process of the elite Army special forces unit - the Green Beret. I watched these poor men and boys withstanding physical, mental and emotional tests with each challenge and mission. As the narrator explained "what it takes," I got thinking about motherhood and WHAT IT TAKES.

Not to in any way demean the Green Berets and the work that they do (or any member of the armed forces), but I found myself almost empathizing with them! I could see similar requirements in things that I do day to day. Some days I am in awe of the things I'm somehow able to physically and emotionally accomplish day after day. It's hard work being a mom sometimes! I got thinking about what the motherhood try-out would look like, and this is what I came up with.

On no more than four hours of sleep each night for at least three weeks, complete the following. You may wish for this to end after two weeks, but don't worry.
It won't!

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Plan an entire weeks-worth of meals for a family of four that picky children will eat and only spend $100. Your grocery list will be taken from you upon entry to the store, forcing you to shop from memory.

Drive to an unknown location in the dark, during a snowstorm with the directions "in your head", while three children are buckled behind you whining, screaming or demanding food. It gives a whole new meaning to psychological warfare!

Make lunches for two children while they inform you that they are "starving" every five seconds and threaten to "just get whatever we want" if you don't comply. Carry on a conversation with your husband over the phone while balancing your baby in your other arm. You must also use a knife, and a cheese slicer at the same time.

Carry a full basket of laundry down two flights of stairs (with a landing in between) with a baby in a front-pack. You are walking blind and building upper-body strength. A fall could maim you, injure your baby, not to mention spill your laundry!

Decode foreign languages (screaming tantrum) and execute a strategy which not only maintains your authority, but also dispels the incident. Do this in very open and public places - church, the library, grocery store, etc. No physical violence may be used on others...or on yourself.

Pick up, Nurse, burp, diaper, and dress a fussy baby on demand, night after night. Do so in pitch darkness in order to gain more than four hours of sleep each night. One can hope!

Serve a peace-keeping mission each day amongst often hostile forces (who have not napped), encouraging "friendly fire", open trade, and positive communication between nations.

Colds, Sicknesses and Viruses will seek you out and attempt to destroy you. You must press on.

Morning Sickness. It will show you no mercy.

What would be on YOUR list?
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Today I was explaining to the kids that some mommies go to work and the kids go to the babysitter. This was a totally foreign concept for them. They were honestly having a hard time even processing it. Mommies going to work and not staying home with their kids? I'm grateful for the opportunity that I have to stay home with my kids and see the milestones, the smiles, the "wins". Despite the above tests, which are sometimes failed, the prize is far greater than an award, a green beret, or even a pay check. I get to see smiles on my kids' faces and know in my heart (sometimes deep in my heart) that I'm doing a "great work". "For out of small things, proceedeth that which is GREAT."