Everyone Warns You

When you're young and in love for the first time people warn you that puppy love doesn't last and that when it ends the heartache will feel like nothing you can imagine.

And you scoff at the idea. Because of COURSE yours won't end. Yours is REAL! You won't experience that heartache.

Until you do. (98% of the time) and then you say to yourself, 'wow! They weren't kidding!'

Then when you graduate from high school and everyone tells you to cherish the memories because the friendships won't last you, again, scoff at them because your friendships are stronger than anyone else's and you won't let time or distance or life get in the way. Your friendships WILL last.

Until you find out that only one or two out of 10 strong friendships stand the test of college. No real fight or falling out, just life happens - and you miss your old friends, despite how much you love your new ones. You may even long for a time when life was simpler - back when you had your 'gang' and your favorite hang outs. Then you think to yourself, 'man, they were right! Friendship is hard to maintain sometimes'

And just FYI: 'They' are also right about how much fun and challenging and trying and rewarding college can be. And how quickly it will fly by. 'They' are also right about how much work marriage will be. And that no matter how dreamy he looks at the altar there will be hard days and days when you can only cry. 'They' are also right about how rewarding and draining parenthood will be.

And you know what? 'They' are absolutely right about how much harder it is to be a parent of 2.

'Its exponentially harder' they said. 'Its more than double the work' they promised. And yet, I was just sure it was all a dramatization. How can it be more than double the work? It's simple math. You double the kids, you double the work. And while it may be harder than just with one, I was also sure that I (being super mom, naturally) would take it all in stride and prove that it really isn't exponentially harder. 

But then I found out that 'they' actually weren't lying at all. It just is that much harder.

Would I change it for anything in the world? No. Absolutely not. Am I head over heels in love with my boys? Absolutely. But would I love for there to be a magic formula for how to juggle showers and exercise and chores and meals and sleep (and work and relay, mind you) all while maintaining friendships and this lovely little blog of mine? Why yes, yes I would.

If you have that formula, send it on over my way. But if that formula in fact just doesn't exist, just like 'they' always said, then please excuse my discombobulated communication. I'll catch up in a decade or so. 

Cause by then I'll have it all figured out...even if 'they' insist I won't.