The grass is greener...or is it?

Attitude.  It seems to make all the difference in my day!  Here's an example.

Yesterday... woke up at 4 am having to pee (not unusual for a pregnant lady).  Then I got hungry (also not unusual) and got a snack.  Then I was wide awake with no chance of falling asleep. After going to bed around 11, I knew this wasn't going to be good.  I finally got back into bed at 6ish, thinking I was tired enough to finally sleep..only to almost fall asleep when Der starts to cry-  Are you kidding me?  I get out of bed (not easy to do when you are this pregnant) in pain and feeling weary.  I can tell by Der's cry that it is going to be another "needy" day of teething and I find myself resenting having to be a mom (sad, but true).  I half heartedly sang the song I sing to Der every morning "This is the day that the Lord has made...let us rejoice and be glad in it."  I don't think I even listened to what I was saying.  There was no rejoicing.  There was tiredness and feeling sorry for myself.  This was all before 6:30 am.  I had planned for us to get out of the house and do something fun, but the idea of going out in the heat and toting him around made me decide to postpone.  It took me until after a nap and some time reading "Mission of Motherhood" to be grateful again to be a mommy.  I missed out on that whole morning of seeing God at work!

And then there was today.  I was determined to make it great with my baby...teething and fussy or not.  I played with my snuggle bear, tickled him, held him, chased him and then planned a fun mommy Der date.  We walked the mall (well, I walked, he rode in the stroller), then we went the pet store (he is so so adorable running from cage to cage saying dogdog!), shared a smoothie and cookie and then came home. 

I was still tired (I am tired every day) and weary (that too), but I am realizing that my days with just Der and I are limited and I need to be grateful for EVERY moment, not just the easy ones.  And its okay if I am tired and weary...I still need to have an attitude of gratitude and savor the sweetness of my only baby who is growing up much too quickly.  When I can't get comfy at night or I wake up 6 times, or I sweat just trying to keep the house tidy, or I can  hardly move at the end of the day because my body is so worn out... its easy to complain and wish this last part of my pregnancy away.  But there is so so so much more to be grateful for!!  I really do like being pregnant.  How special that I can actually grow a baby inside me.  How sweet it is to feel baby Brookie kicking and wiggling around.  And what a truly delightful little boy I have.  He is so sweet and funny and loving.  I am smitten with him, when I stop and take notice.  How dare I miss out on all that sweetness because I am feeling tired or sorry for myself. 

I am choosing to enjoy this season of life and be grateful to God even on the harder days.  The grass will not be "greener" on the other side of this season.  I will have a newborn and baby and be a whole new level of exhausted and I will need to believe this lesson I am learning all over again!  Every season of life has its challenges...but it also has so many more beautiful things to be grateful for!