It's almost as if Buzz Lightyear could foresee my sweet family riding his "Space Ranger Spin" at Disney World when he gave us this quote. After trying to entertain and keep peace with a 2 and 4 year old while we waited in line, we eventually all four climbed aboard our space cruiser to begin the space crusade. Piper's face lit up when she saw the shiny red joystick that was glaring at us like a beaming light. This red little gem had the power to sling our space cruiser around in quick motions as it sat defenseless in the death-gripped hand of my 2 year old. After realizing my motion sickness demise, I looked over to see my husband's eyes become fixated on the space cannon in front of him. For the next 5 minutes I was able to absorb an accurate picture of what he would look like as a 10 year old boy who had free reign to a laser gun on a moving ride. A ride that allowed him to gain points for every target that was hit by a blast from his cannon. It was like manna from Heaven for his competitive soul. However, I was a little distracted by all of the red flags being thrown in my face, warning me of the battle Buzz Lightyear and I were about to embark upon. You see, my 4 year old was clinging to me like a cute little baby monkey. She apparently thought that this space crusade was a glimpse into cruel and unusual punishment.
It turned out that my space battlefield consisted of me working incredibly hard to not lose my theme park lunch due to Piper's joyride with the joystick. My duties also included comforting Campbell and covering her eyes from the horror before her, while occasionally throwing a fake smile and a thumbs up in my husbands direction as he gained another 10 points for good aim. I know we were in Disney World and all, but I will not say this particular experience was magical for me. The strategically placed cameras throughout the ride caught a pretty accurate picture.....
That's what mom's do though, right? We do our best to bring some calmness to the crazy when the world suddenly gets chaotic. We ache to comfort our little ones when fear or pain of any sort overtake them. While there are days we feel like we are hanging on by a thread to muster up the energy needed to conquer the next mommy moment before us, we still do not want to give that task to anyone else. Even on the hard days, we can still find purpose and fulfillment in knowing that we are the ones that have that powerful kiss that makes the boo-boo go away. We have the hug that makes the crackle of that thunder a little less terrifying. We are the ones that get to hold our husband's hand through all the diverse terrains of life. There is JOY in the calling of being a wife and a mom. While hard days might make that joy seem like something we have to reach for and cling to, no one can ever take it away. That is, as long as we don't give it away.
Our days as a wife and mom are going to be filled with curve balls, temper tantrums, messes, and exhaustion. But they will also be filled with fun surprises, laughter, unexpected hugs, and night-time cuddles. It's our choice what we dwell on and how we react to the crazy. God didn't make a mistake when He gave us the name "Mommy", or when He gave us the blessing of being a wife. So now let's not make a mistake in how we respond to life's chaos. Let's choose joy.
After all, joy is one thing we can carry "to infinity and beyond"!
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