*These* parts stinks about being a parent...

Parenting isn't always easy, these are some reasons why:

**Hurt

**Lack of comprehension

**Sleeplessness

**Anger & Frustration

**Sadness

Let me clarify a little bit about these things:

*We hurt from our hearts bursting with pride when our babies do something amazing...or even mediocre, but they did it!...But the hurt also comes from taking on their pain when things don't go their way...

*Our lack of comprehension is inherent, it is hard to imagine just how much we can love our kids. There's really no love like a parents love.

*We trade ZZZZ's for dreams about the amazing lives our kids will lead and all they will become.

*Feelings of anger and frustration sink in anytime life gets in the way of us living a full life and providing for our kids like we want to. Frustration may also come from the little bit of crazy they drive us to sometimes. ;)

*Nine times out of ten there will be a wave of sadness that comes over us, if even for a moment, when we realize our babes are growing up way too fast.

At face value these aspects of parenthood are pretty negative, but upon closer evaluation, they are actually pretty great parts of being a parent. Combine these things with the obviously good aspects of parenthood - happiness, pride, excitement, joy, etc., etc. - and all the sudden parenthood seems even better. The stressful parts we do face don't seem quite as bad knowing there is a silver lining to it all.

What's something you're working through now that needs a silver lining? Life's too short to not see things this way - in fact, maybe even turn that silver lining to gold or platinum - imagine how amazing that life would be.

Best,

-Brianne <3