“These kids are driving me crazy!”

If you are a mom, and unless you are Mother Theresa, I’m sure you’ve uttered (or screamed) these words out of frustration before. I know I have. Many times, in varying tones of voice.

The fighting, the messes, the mealtimes, the questions.

It gets to me sometimes. The never ending pull in every direction at once. I’ll even admit that some days I envy my husband that he gets to leave and spend time with actual, full-grown people.

And then something happens that gives me a reality check. I love these children. They are not frustrations and annoyances-they are gifts from God. I am so blessed to have them in my life, and blessed to be able to stay home with them each day.

On Sunday, I was with my sweet baby in the mother’s room of the nursery. I had just started nursing her when her whole body started shaking-from her head down to her toes. Almost like shivers, but more. I instinctively held her closer to my body until it stopped (which was probably about 5-10 seconds, but seemed like so much longer!) Immediately after, she fell asleep. I didn’t have much time to wonder what had happened, when she woke up and got right back to nursing, only to have the same thing happen again.

This time when it was over and she fell asleep, I got up and went to find my husband. A few of the ladies came over, and one of my dear friends whose little baby had had seizures shortly after birth advised me to take her in to Urgent Care. So I gave her instructions about teaching my Sunday School class and what to do with my older children after church, and my husband and I headed out. The Urgent Care couldn’t see my baby for a couple hours, so we waited at home until our appointment time.

By time we got to the Urgent Care, she had woken up and was back to her smiley self. The doctor checked her out and said she looked perfectly healthy, but wanted us to go to the ER, just in case. She had fallen off the couch the night before, and the doctor wanted to make sure that wasn’t the cause of the seizure.

At the ER, the doctors again said she looked perfectly healthy.

We were given instructions on certain symptoms to watch for over the next couple days. They explained that she could have a small bleed on her brain, caused by the fall, but it would likely resolve itself. It could also be nothing. We were told that in medical school there is a saying that, “Everyone is allowed one seizure in their lifetime.” Often times a small child will have an episode, and there is really no explanation. As long as it doesn’t happen again, there is nothing to worry about.

We are still praying that she doesn’t ever have a seizure again. Fortunately we are out of the danger zone for any injury from her fall. So if it was indeed caused by that, it appears to have resolved itself.

But I am reminded that it doesn’t always turn out so well.

There are parents everyday who say goodbye to their children for the last time.

There are parents whose children are permanently injured, or who are fighting cancer or other horrible diseases.

There are parents who live in fear that their children will be killed or taken by terrorists because of their faith.

I have no right to complain about having to getting to spend each day with my children. My healthy children. They are truly little miracles. And if I feel crazy with frustration, I need to check my heart, and remember that my life would be so empty without them.

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