Adventure in Mothering Story-weekly post for November 3,2008

For an upcoming speaking engagement I was asked to tell about my greatest adventure in mothering. My greastest adventure in motherhood was surviving my most challenging week. My youngest was 6 weeks old and just released from her second hospital stay since being born. At the same time, my husband had a double ear-infection and a bad case of strep that didn’t respond to medication. Like any good mother, I quarantined him in a spare bedroom to contain the illness. In addition, my older daughter, then only 22 months, had the Rhoda virus, whose symptoms included projectile vomiting and digestion gone awry. What a mess! In my moments between feeding and cleaning up after everyone, I was challenged with pumping breast milk to feed my lethargic infant, who was too congested and weak to nurse properly. As you may have guessed, I was too stressed to produce milk quickly so it took almost the entire time between feedings to pump enough for a feeding.During this same time frame, I was also suffering from undiagnosed symptoms that persisted for 16 months. Looking back, I laugh (and sigh) at how stressful that time was. Whenever I am having a difficult time, I recount that crazy time to cheer myself up. I am so thankful for every season of mothering. As it says in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3, there is a season for all things. I praise God that we all survived that season of illness, and were strengthened through it. In my bathroom/prayer closet I had a scripture hanging on the wall that brought me great encouragement."Wait on the LORD: be of good courage , and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait , I say, on the LORD. "Psalms 27:14 (NKJV). God's healing was never far away, and His touch was ever so sweet to give me just what I needed to get through and have a peaceful perspective to face the challenges that would follow in the coming years. May the Lord be your strength during your adventures in life!