Today I had my 6 week postpartum doctor visit, which means that Carter is 6 weeks old, which means that I have had two children for 6 weeks.  The kids decided to celebrate the occasion for me by reminding me that having two children is a different game than having one.

For example: When Fay was a new baby and was having a really fussy/needy day, it meant that I spent a little more time with her than usual, helping to soothe her to sleep, or feed her extra, or whatever. Looking back, it doesn’t seem like it should have caused me too much stress–though I know that it did. Anyway, today, when Carter was having one of those days, it meant that I had to spend a little more time with him than usual, helping to soothe him to sleep and feed him extra. That extra time spent with Carter meant less time spent with Fay.  She is such a sweetheart, and really is quite patient with it all (and she is a champ at entertaining herself when she has to do it); but by the end of the day, she was craving attention, and Carter was still having a needy day, and I was still only one person.I suppose this is mostly just a ramble. But the point I guess I’m trying to make is that I basically have little to no idea how to be a mother of two children. And yet, here I am.

This much I do know, however: I know that the greatest gift God ever gave to the world was the gift of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. And I am learning more and more all the time that the greatest gift that God can give to me is also the gift of His spirit sons and daughters.  They are a gift because they are sweet and hilarious and snuggly and happy, and because they stretch you beyond your own capacity when they have rough moments or days or weeks.  And I know that through the gift of God’s Only Begotten Son, I can live up to the privilege of the beautiful gifts–my two children–that God gave to me.

No. I don’t know what I’m doing. But Heavenly Father knows everything, and the Grace of His Son “is sufficient for [me]: for [His] strength is made perfect in weakness.” Only Jesus Christ’s Atonement can make up to my children what I lack as a mother.  And there is nobody who can do more for them than Him, so it’s okay if I just have to let Him take the helm. “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. …for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).