Monday, October 25, 2010

Ordinary Times

Lately, when it comes to our family, I've been feeling a deep sense of awe. The day-to-day "wake up-make breakfast-run errands-nap-play-cook dinner-read books-go to bed" normalness of it all.

I'll be singing The Wheels on the Bus in the car or sweeping crumbs off the kitchen floor and I'll catch myself thinking "Wow, I can't believe this is my life".

We always knew we wanted a family. We talked about it, dreamed about it for years. We couldn't wait to have a house full of toys, kids chasing each other down the halls. Couldn't wait for stories before bed and pajamas with little feet.

Then we weren't sure we'd ever have it. Extra bedrooms went unused, the house was quiet. There was no need for gates on the stairs, covers on the outlets or locks on the cabinet doors. Everything felt empty and incomplete.


I don't necessarily think that infertility made me a better mom. I still get frustrated and have bad days and wish I could sleep in on Saturday mornings. What I do think is that I recognize how extraordinary it is to just be an ordinary family.

After 3 years, it's no longer surreal to wipe booger noses, spend afternoons in the park or hear someone call me "mom". What's amazing to me is how ordinary it feels...and that's pretty incredible.

30 comments:

  1. Being a Mom: The most awesome "ordinary" job ever. I love those moments when I see with perfect clarity how amazing my life is and really appreciate all that I have.

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  2. I totally agree with you, the ordinariness of it is what makes it so great and worthwhile :) Jen ICLW 85

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  3. Thank you for reminding me to appreciate the normal in my days! :)

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  4. ICLW

    This post just made me feel all warm all over!

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  5. Love love this post! So true...

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  6. That is SO incredible:-) So happy for you mama!!

    leslie

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  7. As a mom of 3 after infertility, I feel so much of the same things! Congrats on your family! I would love to feature your success story on my blog! Happy ICLW! (#72 & 106)

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  8. This post got me choked up! I often stop and feel the exact same way. I think that all the struggles have taught us to take nothing for granted.

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  9. beautiful post!
    i loved the line: I recognize how extraordinary it is to just be an ordinary family.

    so true!
    and i appreciated your post about the grocery store lady, i will have to think about how i will respond to people like that.

    happy iclw

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  10. I truly love this post. So beautiful!

    ICLW #14

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  11. Beautifully written. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. "I recognize how extraordinary it is to just be an ordinary family." I love that. That's such a perfect way to explain it. I feel as though this is the "gift" that IF gave me.

    Aramelle
    http://the-wheeler-family.net/anewwheeler
    (Here from the Creme)

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  13. This is so beautiful. Congrats on your wonderful ordinary life. :)

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  14. Here from creme. What you've written resonates oh so well. I bristle when I hear people talk about infertility making them better parents (if that were the case for me, then I shudder to think what kind of mom I would be had we not dealt with infertility), but YES, I do still step back in amazement at the total, wonderful normality of my life with kids. Beautful post, thank you!

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  15. Love this post!

    From the Creme.

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  16. I hope that I can be there some day.

    (creme)

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  17. Beauty is in the ordinary - which makes it extraordinary!

    Now a follower from Creme (hope you'll follow back).

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  18. Here from Creme,

    I agree about the appreciation of the ordinary. "Normal" turns out to be pretty incredible.

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  19. I absolutely ADORED this post. I feel much the same way, and I didn't have nearly as long a road to parenthood. But I was nervous about being able to becoming a parent for so long that now that I am one, I'm constantly feeling amazed that my daughter is in my life. And while I do have times when I want to sleep in on a Saturday, usually I'm jumping out of bed eager to see my daughter's smiling face. I think that is the one gift that infertility gives us, how grateful we are for the family we (hopefully) eventually have.

    I read the story of your sons. I'm so glad they eventually made their way home to you. They are very lucky boys indeed to have such loving parents.

    Creme de la Creme #125
    Creme de la Creme Iron Clad Commenter Attempt 2010

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  20. So so beautiful. Being an ordinary family is extraordinary. :)

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  21. I love it! Thanks for sharing this post on the creme list! Sounds like Motherhood fits you to a "T" :D Sometimes being "normal" after all of the chaos is a good thing.

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  22. I identify with this so much! As a foster parent, my kids aren't even my own (yet!), and it constantly blows me away how normal it all feels to just be a family when for so long it seemed so out of reach.

    ~Creme

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  23. oh thank you for being someone "on the other side" who hasn't forgotten to appreciate how badly they wanted to be there. :)

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