Dear mom who hasn’t had a minute to herself, I see you. 

You often don’t even realize you need a minute until it’s too late. 

You design your day around everyone else’s needs: your husband’s work schedule, their meals, their laundry, their wants, and you’re not even sure what you really want anymore. 

You do truly love this and all of them more than anything. 

You love being able to watch them grow and be the one who gets to help them on their hard days, but for some reason asking for help and fighting for your needs seems too much, too selfish. 

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It’s easier to brush off your plans and say, “It’s OK . . . I’ll reschedule.” 

But when that happens time after time, it silently wears on you. 

When do you get to not be last in line?

When do you get a minute to yourself?

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When do your family’s plans change to make your day easier?

Then, one small thing you were excited about gets taken away again, and you feel overwhelmingly trapped in this life you absolutely love. 

It’s truly impossible to explain to anyone who hasn’t lived it—sometimes even your husband. 

You do love this life, but somedays, you can’t catch your breath.

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The older I get, the more I’m learning to pour out for my family while also fighting for myself because in order for everyone else to be filled appropriately, moms need to be filled, too.

Dear trapped mama who loves her life. It’s OK for those two feelings to coexist. and it’s more normal than I ever imagined. Keep fighting for yourself and your family. Your impact is more than you could ever imagine. I see you, and I’m praying for you.