I never...

I seriously never thought I'd have to say this. To anyone. Ever.

"Don't lick your hands!,
Don't lick the window!,
and Do NOT lick me!"

Motherhood changes a person.

I also never imagined having a small human screaming in demand: "WASH MY SHIRT!!!" after she spilled an entire cup of water on herself...after I told her not to get said water. Sorry, kid. Life's tough, and you'll dry.

I never fathomed calmly cleaning human pee up off what I had considered a once-nice wool rug, as if it was no longer a bio-hazard emergency. And then being able to wash my hands, and go back to making lunch.

I never knew how much reading a blog post about drowning would effect me. Or that later, I would have nightmares about it, and wake up pulling my husband's wrist up towards the ceiling, having imagined I was saving one of our children from the water. (Poor man. He endures a lot. Really, he does.)

I definitely never anticipated the frequency at which "This is why we can't have nice things." would exit my, or my husband's mouths. In one day we lost a crystal wine glass (which was a wedding gift), had the rug peed on (again), a small toy ripped to shreds, and my make-up bag invaded by a small, blush-compact destroying marauder.

This is why we don't have nice things.

I never anticipated how exhausting it would be to keep up with small children.

But...

I also never knew how much I would laugh after being told that chickens don't have lips. Or the delight I would having watching my girl flapping her wings and clucking around the yard. Because she wanted to be a chicken.

Or how my heart would swell when my little one, finally tired from a day of conquering the world, slowed down enough to say "I love you. Mommy, you are the Queen!".

Or how a chipper, early voice saying "Mommy! The sky is awake!" would be enough to summon me out of bed after a long night with the baby.

These are things I never knew.

This whole parenting bid'ness can be tough stuff. It certainly tests me every day. There are days when challenges abound, but inevitably, sweetness follows, and our participation in this insanity makes a bit more sense. Praise God for giving us strength in this season of "I never"s.