It’s another of those weeks when thankfulness seems hard – but really, it isn’t all week. If I could think beyond the fog of the past two days, I know there are plenty of wonderful things that it would be easy to thank God for.
But the past couple of days have not been particularly pleasant. If I’d have known Tirzah Mae’s nap on Tuesday afternoon would last ten minutes, I wouldn’t have started scrubbing the bathtub. If I’d have known the next one (after I’d nursed her back to sleep) would last 12 – well, I don’t know exactly what I’d have done if I’d have known this was coming.
THIS, of course, is teething. Her second tooth broke gums yesterday, but she is apparently not done yet. She slept with me the last two nights, by which I mean that she slept in five to ten minute segments on top of me while I moved my head back and forth desperately trying to get comfortable before she awoke with another desperate scream and started scrabbling for the breast.
I didn’t get dressed yesterday. I didn’t have opportunity to take a shower. She was eating at least every 15 minutes, with only catnaps in between.
It doesn’t feel like I have anything to be thankful for.
But I must apply correct theology to teething and recognize that even a sleep-deprived mother has plenty to be thankful for.
Today I am thankful that God is infinitely more patient with me, His child, than I could ever be with my daughter.
Today I am thankful that God’s grace to my daughter is infinitely deeper than I could ever extend to her.
Today I am thankful that God sustains mothers and comforts children.
And I begin to repeat myself in my mind and as I type: Today I am thankful that God is patient.
I hear Tirzah Mae fuss from the bed where she has been sleeping for the past half hour (why, oh, why did she decide to make that longest stretch after I’d already had my morning coffee?) and I no longer have opportunity to think up new thankfulnesses.
So I repeat those again and again.
Thank you, God, that you are patient. Thank you, God, that you are gracious. Thank you God that you sustain me and comfort my daughter.
I always gave the girls ibuprofen at night so we could at least sleep. It seemed to bother them more at night than during the day anyway.
Ah – teething can be so miserable for everyone involved. You drew some great lessons from the experience. Hope Tirzah Mae is back to normal soon before the next set comes in.