Love, Faith & Lots of Coffee

Three in the morning hasn't seen me awake in a long time...until last night. A certain toddler who sleeps in the room next to mine decided he was no longer sleepy and unless we got him out of his crib, he would do nothing but cry. We tried everything with no success. I know kids move in and out of phases, like teething and growth spurts and such. Usually I've heard of it before so I figure out the problem and find a solution. But there are times when you just have no clue as a parent. You suddenly face uncharted territory and your 3 a.m. brain just doesn't get it. You go from confusion to fear, anger to frustration. In such moments I always end up completely overwhelmed, asking God for wisdom and patience! After sitting on the nursery floor a couple hours with a wide awake child, I realize he is one year old and he doesn't understand why he isn't sleepy either. He's not trying to make my life impossible, he just needs his mama in the middle of his dark, lonely night. So I love him patiently, pray for faith that God will help me through the next day, and look forward to lots of coffee. And as usual, I'm reminded of the faithfulness and patience of our Heavenly Father!