Good Days and Bad Days and Going Half Mad Days

To borrow from another Jimmy Buffett song, "I've had good days and bad days and going half mad days."  This week I have had them all!

John decided to fight sleep for a couple of days.  I was doing good to get him to take 45 minute naps between feedings.  He screamed a lot and even our middle of the night feedings were not smooth and easy.  A few days of that definitely leads to "going half mad days!" 

Thankfully, my older boys are so patient.  They entertain themselves well and allow me to focus on John when necessary.  After a particularly long night, I hear Philip and Daniel waking up.  They walk in my bedroom and see me asleep.  I hear Philip say, "Let's don't disturb her," and they go back to their room to play.  What sweet, sweet boys!

I called Mom one morning because I was supposed to take her to run a short errand that day.  I had been up all night and John was screaming yet again.  Sweet, sweet Mom...she hears the exhaustion in my voice and offers to spend the day with us.  I seriously don't know what I would do without this woman.  I can always count on her to be at home and to be willing to help out when things are rough.

So on Wednesday, she came and helped.  She played Legos, board games, and read with the big boys while I tried to nap.  She held John and got him to sleep peacefully in her arms.  How does she do that??? 

I am certain that babies feed off our level of stress.  Mom's stress level is pretty low and I think John recognized that.  She isn't holding him and thinking about is he getting enough sleep, too much sleep, what's for dinner tonight, where's William and what is he doing, etc.  She just holds him, talks to him, and is simply wrapped up in him, and trust me he knows it!

I do not know how to repay her for the comfort she brings me.  I do know that one day when my life is a little simpler, I hope to do the same for my boys and their children.  

Now the good news is that Thursday was a good day.  John slept well.  We had a good night last night.  Such a reminder that bad times are temporary...good days will follow.

I'll leave you with the words to a hymn that I found in the service leaflet for Sunday's Pentecost service.  It is a big day for our church and our family...I'll write more about it later.  Anyways, I saw these lyrics by George Herbert and loved them.

Thou that hast given so much to me

Give one thing more, a grateful heart.

Not thankful when it pleaseth me,

As if Thy blessings had spare days:

But such a heart, whose pulse may be Thy praise.

Thou that hast given so much to me

Give one thing more, a grateful heart.

A grateful heart...even on the "going half mad days!"