Milo, my son, has been fighting his nap since three this afternoon. It is now 4 o’ clock and he still hasn’t fallen asleep.
I didn’t sleep well the night before either. Milo had tossed and turned all night, so momma was running on little steam by 4pm.
I love to-do lists! It makes me feel so accomplished when I can mark everything off at the end of day. This was one of those days nothing was getting accomplished. I had a work certification that needed to be completed. I had laundry still in the washing machine that needed to be moved to the dryer. My bed was unmade, and my floor was not vacuumed.
I was feeling like a complete failure. I was focusing so much on what I hadn’t accomplished rather than looking at my little 11 month old falling asleep FINALLY in my arms.
I was curled up on the couch with him laying on me. I could feel I was getting an exhaustion headache coming on.
Then the normal thoughts flooded into my mind that happen to every parent when your child FINALLY goes to sleep.
Do I move him and risk him waking up?
OR
Enjoy me some rest time snuggling my baby.
Then other thoughts came over me.
I am a Christian wife and mother. That is my “job” I serve in every moment of the day. If I don’t take this nap and get some rest will I be showing a Christ like character to my husband and son?
Here I was worried about failing my work company (which this certification had no due date, it was a completely work- as -you- go -on -your -own -time -certification). I was worried about failing my friends if they saw my house in its current state, and failing my silly worldly standards.
So I chose to take a nap, with my son snuggled on top of me. I had lots of other things to do but I chose to nap so I would be kind to my husband and son that evening. So I could cook supper with a smile, and giggle with my son at bath time.
I have done it before where I don’t nap. Then surviving the evening is a struggle. I get snappy at my husband and frustrated at my baby.
By me choosing my nap it helps to be a kind and Christ-like mother and wife, which is so much more important than completing my to-do list.
I saw a quote while thinking about this topic. It said, “Your kids don’t want a perfect mom, they want a happy mom.”
I think the quote can work for your husband too, “Your husband doesn’t want a perfect wife, he wants a happy wife.”
I took my nap and woke up to a sleepy baby rubbing his eyes and smiling looking at me from my chest. I woke up to my to-do list still having everything written on it. I woke up to not having a headache. I woke up feeling pretty good.
I’m writing this as I hope it can help you, and I still have to preach this to myself.
Take the nap so you can share Jesus with your family.
Gracefully Fashionable Britt