Are you exhausted?

11 weeks and 3 days ago we welcomed our 4th child into this world.  There are so many joys in new babies!  I love so much about the experience.  The visitors, the meals, the squishy baby in my arms all of the time, that new baby smell that is just intoxicating, all of the tiny little clothes.  I mean really, whats not to love about a new baby?

Oh, you are thinking lack of sleep maybe?  Or maybe the crying and excessive pooping they do?  Well, there is that.

I will tell you that having baby number 4 has people asking me “are you just exhausted” almost daily.  (I also get, “bless your heart” “wow you have your hands full” “oh man, I do not know how you do that” and a handful of other comments that I will just have to address in another post) When people ask me that I tend to have a generic response that is something like this “not really.  I feel pretty good actually”

But yesterday we had some friends over.  We were standing in the kitchen and she asked “So are you just exhausted?”.  I gave my normal response, except my husband was standing behind me and he started laughing.  I turned around and looked at him and he said “did you really just say that?”  It really got me thinking about it.  It made me think about why I really don’t feel the need to feel exhausted.  And also to think about why my husband was seeing things so different.

I have decided its called mom strength.  Am I exhausted?  Probably.  Being a mom is hard work, tiring, 24/7, non stop.  There is a never ending list of tasks to be done and they must be done while juggling kids and life.  Being a mom is probably one of the hardest jobs on the planet.  I think every mom is exhausted.  Am I right?  It just comes with the job.

So why does my husband laugh when I say I am not exhausted?  First of all, my husband sees me daily.  He knows what I do, he sees me at the end of a long hard day filled with non napping children, a day that hasn’t gone at all as planned, and an 11 year old who knows better.  He knows I get up to feed the baby throughout the night and even when I am asleep I am not resting because my body is on mom alert.  He  hears me say “I just don’t know if I can do it again tomorrow” in a moment of weakness.  He knows I am exhausted.

If I am exhausted, why do I not explain that when people ask?  I don’t think I notice how exhausted I am most of the time.  I think I just get up and go and do whatever is in front of me.  If you asked me if I was exhausted in the middle of a really tough day, I would probably be really honest, but for the most part, every day life and the exhaustion that comes with it just feels pretty normal.  When I stop and look at things honestly, I think my strength and perspective  comes from God and leaning on Him.

“Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

This verse does not mean that I will never be tired or even exhausted (because I am both).  I just know that trusting in the Lord for my strength has been so fruitful for me.  I have been able to muster through some rough days by simply relying on the Lord for strength.  God always provides what we need in the moment when we rely on Him.  I have learned that He might not always answer my prayers the way I envision them being answered, but he always answers.  God called mothers into the mission field of being a mom and He is faithful to walk with us until our mission is complete! God is bigger then anything we face daily. He is bigger then physical and mental exhaustion.  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” Matthew 11:28

Moms- It is ok to be exhausted.  It is ok to realize how hard your job is and how much weight you carry by doing it.  But be encouraged that God called you into Motherhood and He is there with you every step of the way.  Ask Him for whatever you need.  Remember that you are not alone either, look around you, moms everywhere are exhausted too, just like you.  Hug another mommy and remind her how precious she is to her children and to God.  Take time to laugh with a fellow mom and see how much exhaustion fades away when you choose to smile and find joy.  Encourage someone else today because you can.  Love with all your heart and soul.  Remember you have the power to change the world, one little tiny person at at time.  Being a mom is a BIG job, an important job, an exhausting job.  But God chose YOU to do it because He knows you can!

{If you like this post please feel free to share it!}