"I Love You, Mama"

I love when my kids call me "Mama." The older ones have already stopped, but my little guy, who is 3, still lets it slip from time to time.

I have had a bit of a sleep deprivation period over the last week. My husband, Neil, had surgery on his shoulder last week and the first few nights I got very little sleep taking care of him. I don't mind that at all, I'm here for him 110%. The sleep deprivation gets to me after a while though. On night five, Tucker, my 4 year old gets up at 2 in the morning with a nightmare, then gets up at 4 and vomits all over the floor, thankfully the hardwood, not the carpet. Now I'm thinking we are going to have to deal with a stomach flu on top of the shoulder recovery AND when you have little kids they share everything, including germs!!!!!! Needless to say, I was not in a positive state of mind, I envisioned cleaning up puke for a week, all the extra laundry, then of course me getting the virus and you know when the mom gets sick, there is no time for rest, especially not now.

During the cleaning up, around 4:30 in the morning, my 3 year old, Cade, decides to join the party. I place Tucker on the couch with a "puke bucket" and Cade joins me in my bed, which I'm not a fan of, but too tired to fight it. Out of the blue, he says "I love you, Mama" and my heart melts. I then turn to my husband and tell him how blessed I am and those little reminders out of my little angels' mouth makes everything I do worth every minute. It was funny because Neil couldn't believe I could say how blessed I was at a moment like that. Only having Jesus indwelling in me, that I can have peace at a moment like that. Trust me, it doesn't always happen. I'm not always the most patient, especially with a lack of sleep. Thankfully Tucker did not have a virus, just something he ate, I guess.

I pray that God will remind me frequently of all He has given me, most importantly the gift of Salvation. Isaiah 30:15 "This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength." So I will rest in the serenity of my loving Father's arms.