To Laugh Or To Cry

To laugh or to cry. That was the question.

My sweet baby girl had just pooped in the bathtub. She didn't even know what happened as I scooped her up and carried her yucky and screaming to another bathtub to clean up. In the meantime Josiah woke up and was crying. It was time for him to eat. A pacy was quickly popped in his mouth and I finished bathing Sarah, for the second time. I realized in the process that it was raining and my nearly dry diapers were getting wet. They were quickly pulled in. I put her down for her nap and he had settled down, so (after a frantic call to my mom for tips and tricks) I went to work cleaning and sanitizing the bathtub. And then I laughed.

From the moment Dave and I found out about Josiah we dreamed and speculated about what life would look like with kids- plural. We wondered what kind of work they would do and what hobbies they would love. We dreamed about weddings and grandchildren and vacations. We also looked to the immediate future. How would I possibly keep dry diapers on everyone? Would we ever be able to enjoy flying again? We knew the immediate future would be wonderful, but also have its challenges. Many of our friends have two young children and we have heard many of their wild stories. We knew when it got hard we would have a choice, to laugh or to cry.

To cry means I have lost perspective. The little things are overwhelming me and life is feeling very small and out of control. I'm not saying that I shouldn't or don't cry. (Trust me, nothing brings on my tears like sleep deprivation!) Being sad is a real emotion and crying can be a really good thing, especially when we are crying out to our Heavenly Father. But usually in my case, it means that things aren't going my way and I don't like it.

To laugh means to embrace the moment. Call it hard, do the best that you can do, and laugh. See the big picture and let everything fall into perspective. It leads to being ever more grateful for what the Lord has given me and makes for much more fond memories. Laughing allows me to enjoy where I am, no matter the trial.

So that day, I remembered to laugh. Success! It wasn't quite how I planned to spend the day, but in all honesty the moment was pretty outrageous. I kind of wish someone would have been here to laugh with me. Now both kids are napping (win!) and the mail lady just rang the door bell. Josiah is stirring, but that's ok. I am thankful for the package she brought and that he loves a pacifier! Plus, every time he gets worked up he poots a little, and that's just funny.

To laugh or to cry. How will I view my challenges today?