Monday, January 18, 2010

Guest Post: Waiting With a Smile

Jennie was our roommate. Well, maybe Lindsey never really lived in the same apartment, but she might as well have. Jennie is an amazing person, a dedicated teacher, a devoted wife and a very caring friend. She also makes awesome cakes that look and taste delish. We love our Jennie!


Why are we always looking for more when what we have always wanted is staring us in the face?

In October, my husband and I decided to stop preventing pregnancy. I have always known that conceiving a child would not be easy since I have a family history full of infertility and many symptoms of a condition known as PCOS, but I still hoped it would come right away. After hearing about a neighbor becoming pregnant and getting a call from my sister to announce she had an adorable new nephew, I was feeling rather down. I was starting to wonder why it is so hard for me to get what I want! As I was driving home feeling sorry for myself, I was struck with the realization that I have the most amazing family already and I will get a baby when God wants me to have one.

I spent a great deal of my four years at college wanting a husband and a teaching job. Although I tried to focus on having fun with what I was doing at the time, I still wasted too much time waiting for the future. Now that I have an amazing husband who loves me and a wonderful job (the exact thing I was waiting for two years ago) I certainly don’t want to waste my time waiting for tomorrow.

So here is my advice to others and mostly myself: No matter where you are in life - be happy. I can’t think of a time (whether you are a single adult waiting for your knight in shining armor and dream job or a mother of three just waiting for your kids to make it to all-day school) where there isn’t something to be happy about and a million things to learn.

3 comments:

Melissa said...

I spent a few hours last week feeling a little sorry for myself that my 6 month old was getting so big and independent. I felt sad that I missed out on the first four months due to student teaching. I realized that if I didn't enjoy every stage I wasn't ever going to be happy and enjoy my baby.

My sister (who is 18) called the other day and said "I wish I was married and graduated from college" and I told her "sometimes Megan-- I wish I was single and going to high school" I love this post because we can't wish away the journey.

Meg said...

It took me a long time to learn this lesson, and sometimes I still forget. I have to remind myself that when I finish grad school I'll miss it, when I get married I'll miss things about being single, and when I leave Indiana I'll miss corn fields.
(I love Jennie!)

mkgs said...

Thank you for having this thought now, Jennie. I am dying to have a baby, and am incredibly jealous of the women in my life who are having them (which seems to be everyone, although of course it isn't). It will be amazing when I do get to have one; but at that point I will also never be able to go back to where I am now, so I should be enjoying the moment instead of wishing I could move past it.