It's Worth It

His eyes softly close and his little body finds comfort snuggled against my chest.  Moments earlier he was fighting sleep, and now all 12 pounds of him cradled in my arms has found rest.  Hopefully until the morning. 
His sister has never liked being rocked to sleep, but he wants nothing more.  So I rock him.  I rock him and hold him close and think about what a blessing his little life is to us.  As exhausted as I am and as much as my own bed beckons me, I can not bring myself to leave this moment.  My sleep can wait.  This is worth it.

Earlier in the day, the constant "hey mama," and "mama, hold" from my first born makes me wonder how anything around the house will get done.  Doesn't she know there are floors to clean, laundry to fold, food to be cooked, and emails to be returned? 
No.  She does not.  
All she knows is she wants her mother's undivided attention.  So I sit down on the floor, she crawls in my lap, and I give it to her.  
My to do list can wait.  She is worth it.  This is worth it.

"Maybe I will never sleep past 7:00 in the morning and maybe I will never have time to brush my hair and maybe I will never be able to eat a full meal without getting up and down a million times.  It’s worth it.  Maybe it will always take me twice as long to do everything and maybe I will never have a really clean house and maybe my days of staying out late with friends are over.  It’s worth it.  Anything I have to give up is worth just that one minute when they look at me and call me, “Mama,” when those little hands grab mine and those big eyes look at me as if I hold the keys to the world.  It’s worth it." -Katie Davis

Motherhood has taught me that my life is not my own.  And you know what...it's worth it. I have gained so much more than I have to give up.  These precious children are worth it.