The “Joy” of motherhood

Hello Friends!

I have missed you all dearly. It has been several months since I have posted on here. So much has changed and I have so much to update you all on. Since I last posted, I had shared that I was pregnant. Well, I now have a healthy and beautiful baby boy named Cory Jeremiah Scott. He was born 10 pounds 4 ounces, 22.25 inches long on Monday, September 17, 2018 after 50+ hours of labor (that is an entirely different story that I will share with y’all at another time). Yes, he definitely was a big boy and still is. He is now a 2 foot 13 pound 8 ounce 1 month year old. He is an absolute joy and I could not be more blessed. He taught me so much about myself just in this very short time.

I became a parent when I found out I was pregnant with him, but I didn’t become a mother until after I held him.  Because in that instance, my world and perspective instantly shifted. My reality was altered  – he was now here physically not just mentally.  I didn’t fully realize the beautiful gift of life that was being created inside me until I heard his first cries. I saw him and instantly sobbed. I couldn’t believe this precious baby boy had been inside me this whole time. I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect child for me. I couldn’t believe God created him for me and selected me to be his mother. I was now a mother, and being a mother is SO much more than I anticipated.

My first month of motherhood was a tidal wave of various emotions. I have been elated, angry, depressed, anxious, confused, tired, doubtful, amazed and so many other emotions, but overall I have been loved. No one could have prepared me or told me about the tiredness I would feel or the irritation that would build or the amount of  love I would have for him even through it all. Motherhood IS challenging. There is no guide book or a cheat sheet. There is no one there to assure you that you are making the right decision(s). You are just thrown into the fire and have to find your own way out. There are times I felt very alone, even though I was blessed enough to have a community of  support all around me. There are times I felt I was way in over my head and couldn’t possibly do this, especially by myself. However, through all of those moments God continued to show me that he loves me and is always with me.

My current situation isn’t ideal, but nonetheless, God has blessed it. I am an unmarried woman with a newborn. I barely knew my son’s father, but yet, his father has stepped up and has been heavily involved with him since he has been born. His family is also very supportive and helpful, which you don’t see a lot in predicaments like these. Although there are many times I could be (or I am) pessimistic and ask God, “Why me?” or “Why does it have to be like this?”, he continues to reveal to me the “Joy” I should have. The secret to motherhood (even life) I am discovering is trying to find the joy or thankfulness in all situations. In 1 Peter 1:3-9  it says –

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuinenessof your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

The trials we endure now are to strengthen our faith, so that we may find joy and hope in  what is to come. Motherhood is a trial, but such a blessed and joyful one. I may not get any sleep or have alone time, but this is all just temporary and the time flies by. Soon CJ will get older and not need me to feed him every 2-3 hours or for me to change his diaper  for the 10,000th time. He will become his own person and make his own decisions. It’s hard to cherish these “hard times” (I know it gets much harder) but I  am trying. I am trying to take it one day at time and enjoy what  I can.

So friends, find joy in your “motherhood” and enjoy the moments while you can because what once seemed hard, you’ll wish one day it were only that easy. You can overcome anything  with Christ, just have faith.

Stay blessed,

Alicia

P.S. check out the gallery  tab to view his newborn pics – now.