I’m not usually one to post doom and gloom. I’m a glass half-full type of person, but sometimes the stars align in such a way to produce what I like to call “the perfect storm.” You know, where things just don’t go right. I am weathering that storm right now and I feel like I’m drowning.

Lack of sleep can do that to you. Make you feel like you’re losing it. Believe me I know things could be worse…a lot worse. But when you are already running on little sleep from the previous night and your current night has been 5+ fussy wake-ups in the last 2 hours you start to reach a breaking point. You start asking yourself “will I ever sleep again?” And since this is my fourth, I know very well that this horrible phase won’t last forever…hell, I’ve already been here three times.

So why is this so freakin hard?!

Because sacrifice IS hard. Motherhood IS a sacrifice. When I started to reflect on this more I found this quote from Mother Teresa:

“A sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt, and must empty ourselves. Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in his love than in your weakness.”

As mothers we often empty ourselves to where we feel like we have nothing more to give: sleepless nights, repeated disciplining, meeting needs, answering requests…but we are accomplishing great things through God. We are helping mold the next generation of human beings. That is a vocation. A great calling. I know I am weak, but I know that God’s love is stronger than my weakest moments and I will be clinging to that love for dear life as I weather this storm.
I am not alone.