Struggling

Someone told me recently that she didn't realize how much we'd struggled over the past few years. This person is lovely, beautiful, empathetic. She cares for so many people, both professionally and personally.

It made me wonder...do I exaggerate our struggles? Do I emphasize them and downplay how lucky we are?

Because I don't think we struggle any more than your typical family.

I really don't. I mean, sure, I'm tired but isn't every mother who works outside the home and works to keep the house livable and feed her family tired?

I probably bitch about it a little more than your average mom, though. I am a self-confessed over-sharer. It's what I do.

But struggle? I don't think of our life as a struggle these days.

Ever since that Zantac took effect five years ago and soothed O's sad, sad tummy, life has been exponentially better. Those first six months of her life? They were a struggle. The crying, the pacing, the driving, the doctors appointment where we were told she was fine, we were over reacting to her constant crying.

Those things were a struggle.

But once we got that medicine and it helped with her reflux and her pain...things have been better.

Sure, we could all sleep more but that's my own personal problem. I'm not sure I'll ever feel like I get enough sleep. But I think every single mother out there feels that way.

Our struggles feel so minor compared to so many out there. We have our health. Olivia isn't affected by 5p-'s health concerns the way so many other kids are. She's got a healthy heart (we have the scan to prove it.) Her kidneys are perfect (we have the ultrasound to prove that.) Her brain is lovely, we have the MRI to prove that.

She's potty trained, which, if you know anything about 5p-, is nothing short of a miracle.

She talks all the time, which again, for a child with 5p-, is such an amazing accomplishment. She's worked so hard and we've always been so lucky to have amazing therapists who work with her.

Struggle? Not any more than any other family out there.

I feel like we're blessed to be able to embrace our struggles, to make them our own and to own them rather than let them own us.