The Patience Vacuum

Listen. Do you hear that?

No? Well, I tell you what it is. It's the patience being sucked out of my body. Or maybe it's being sucked into my womb. Wherever it is, it's not where I need it. I have hardly any to give to my children. (Particularly one child.)

It seems that this little person growing inside of me is also known as the Patience Vacuum. Since Day 1, I swear my patience level has gotten lower and lower and my annoyance level has gotten higher and higher. I've really noticed this trend with the last two pregnancies.

I mean really, why should I be annoyed that after Jace just ate a sandwich, carrots, veggie chips, graham crackers and milk, and goldfish, that he's still hungry? Why should I be annoyed with a simple request to refill a water bottle? Why should I be annoyed with a child's choice of shoes? Why should I be annoyed with everything?

And then, one of the most interesting things about the little Patience Vacuum is that as soon as she's born, the patience immediately flows right back into my body and goes to all of the right spots and seems to fill up my patience reservoir. It is unbelievably noticeable to me.

It's such a strange phenomenon, but maybe it's necessary. Maybe the patience is sucked out of me and stored up somewhere (again, maybe in the womb with the baby) and it's returned to me when the baby's born because that's when I need it the most. I need it the most when there is a newborn with innumerable needs, other children demanding my needs and affection, a body trying to make its way back to normalcy, and so many other factors. Maybe this happens for a reason. Maybe it really is a blessing disguised as a mean trick for 9 months.

If that's the case, I just feel sorry for my poor little family for those 9 months. And that little Patience Vacuum better bring some extra patience with her because I have a feeling that 4 kiddos is gonna be a little bit of a rough adjustment.