Dear Momma

This is a scary time to be pregnant, or a mom to a baby. There's a lot of scary things being said, and a lot of information to digest. Adding to this the overwhelming aspects of caring for a child you get no help. None. No one is allowed to come to your house and clean your bathroom so you can sleep/snuggle a baby. No one can fold your laundry, or cook a meal, or sweep and mop, or do the dishes. No one can come and sit with you and give you an adult connection. No one can come. But here's what I want you to know. YOU are capable. YOU can do this. Your house will not be clean for many years to come. You're floors will be dirty, your dishes may sit in the sink overnight, your clean laundry will pile high on the couch as you scootch it to one side so you can sit down. Your hair will not be perfectly done. Your dinners will be simple, and easy. You are ok. Life will not stop moving and you mustn't either. You must keep going. that little person is depending on you. Not me, not your mom, not your mother-in-law, not your dad, not your father-in-law, not your sister, brother, in-laws, outlaws, or that crazy neighbor down the street. You. Which means you are enough. Everything about you is enough. You were prepared for this moment LONG before you ever got here. Deep breath. Drop your shoulders, unclench your jaw. Exhale. Trust yourself. Your body is literally programed to deliver a baby. It'll deliver a baby even if you lose consciousness. So really all you have to do is use your intuition and not lick the door handles. You can do this. let the laundry pile up on the couch after the dryer so you can clean the surfaces you and the baby touch. it's ok to eat PB&J for dinner if it means you washed your hands after touching your face. Breathe. You've got this. Parenting will look different from now on. No one will be having the experiences you had as a child. Birthdays and play dates will look more like it did when we moved west across the American continent. A small gathering of family, and time spent with loved ones. There may not be as many parties celebrating the new life you brought into this world. There will be more time for you to sit and reflect on how miraculous this whole adventure is. There may not be a Pinterest Mom group date and Chick-fil-A every Thursday, but there will be moments you can journal to document how you feel about this child and the adventure parenting is. Forget the parties, and the big events. Who needs all those germs anyway? teach them to love people who are hard for them to love. Teach them to be kind to those they may be inclined to take for granted. Learning to love our siblings can be one of the hardest things we ever do; depending on the personalities involved. So lets enjoy this "little house on the prairies"moment in time. breathe. The air is actually clean enough you can do that right now. You're going to be just fine. You're ready.