Hands Full Of Joy.... What Motherhood Means To Me

Hands Full of Joy…

As a mom of multiple children, life is filled with love, love, love, sprinkled with busy. I am a mom of three (4 year old, 2 1/2 year old, and a 7 month old), and this is an extremely active season in my life. If I had a dollar for every time a stranger said to me, “You’ve got your hands full” I would have all three kids’ college tuition paid in full! 

When I was a mother of two I would nicely reply, “Full hands, full heart”, and now as a mom of three I kindly reply, “Yes, I do have my hands full; full of joy!”.

Some days my kids drive me bananas, but everyday they bring me so much joy. 

A joy that I’ve never experienced before.

A joy that resonates long after they’ve gone to bed for the night, and makes me giggle when I look at their pictures.

A joy that renews me at the end of an exhausting day.

When my husband and I got pregnant with our second child I had a concern about having enough of me to share with another baby in the home. I felt as though I was giving so much of myself to our first child and didn’t know how was I going to manage with another baby to share me with.

During a heartfelt conversation with my mother in-law regarding my concerns she said, “as your family grows so does your heart”. She was a mother of four and shared that with each child her heart got bigger and bigger and her love for each child grew stronger and stronger. Now being on the other side of the coin as a mom with three, I can testify and say she was right!

While pregnant with my third child some days I had thoughts that maybe I bit off more than I could chew. That maybe I was doing it “wrong” [having three kids so close in age], or that maybe I was being “greedy” for wanting another child. I questioned this even more on tough days and especially when baby #3 was born. I found truth in watching them play together, watching them be affectionate with one another, and in watching their bond grow stronger and stronger each day. Witnessing their relationship affirms for me that we are exactly where we are supposed to be. 

The truth is this season is challenging, it’s busy, and it’s exhausting, but a wise woman once told me, “the days are long, but the years are short”. Her words of wisdom have been etched into my mind. Her words are a reminder that seasons change and that our children will grow up, so cherish it all.

Being a mom of multiples has not only grown my heart, but it has also stretched my organizational skills, tested my patience, and pushed my comfort zone. Simultaneously, it has also brought me more joy than I can count!

Everyday isn’t easy, everyday isn’t Cosby show worthy, but everyday is a blessing. I look at my children and I see grace upon grace upon grace, and for that I am thankful. 

My children are daily reminders of God’s grace; memos that grace is a lifestyle not an action. They are gentle prompts to be kind, not just to others, but to myself because, yes, being a mom of three my hands are full, but my heart is fuller.

This post was originally shared by me on Life As a Minister Mom blog for her What MotherHood Means to Me Series.