I’ve always known that life is made up of changing seasons, but having kids brings that to a whole new light. Maybe it’s that there are so many seasons crammed into a short period of time. The sleepless nights, the poopy blowouts, teething, learning to roll, crawl, walk, and talk.

We are past many of those seasons, but we are moving into new ones. Our oldest will be starting preschool in the fall. Our youngest insists on dressing herself and climbing into the car without help.

The crib will soon disappear from the “baby’s” room.

The family eats at the table without any high chairs.

Children grow so fast. Even though it might feel like a season will never end, a new one will emerge before you know it.

With our first, I couldn’t wait until she slept through the night. Those six weeks felt a lot longer. Yes, I know, many of my momma friends have children over a year who still aren’t sleeping through the night.

With the second, I was excited about her reaching that six week mark, but I tried enjoying those middle of the night feedings a little more because I knew they would be gone in the blink of an eye. In the midst of those sleepless nights, I was able to pray over my children. I tried to use that exhausting season for good.

God is using my children to teach me the importance of being present in whatever season I find myself at the moment. Even if I want it to end, there’s a lesson hidden in the hard times. There’s an opportunity in one season that might not be there in another.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

In this season of mothering young children, there are days I would prefer to be at work rather than deal with temper tantrums, messes all over the house, and wanting time to myself. But this is the season where I get to be with my children. Before I know it, they will be off to elementary school. They will no longer be under my constant care. So in this season of my life, God has given me the incredible responsibility (and blessing) to teach them about Him and give them a solid foundation they will build upon throughout life.

When I look at it that way, all those daily struggles are ways for us to all grow closer to each other and God.

I’m excited for what’s ahead, and this week I’ll celebrate God’s faithful hand in each season of my life.