Control Freak

I am somewhat of a control freak. I say "somewhat" because I am not totally inflexible, but I do like things my way (just ask Shawn!). And I come by this honestly (not naming any names).

The things I like my way the most are in my domain. And being a stay-at-home mom, that primarily means my kids and my house. It has taken me four long years, but I have finally (and somewhat graciously) relinquished control of the office in our house. (Anyone who has been over our house in the last four years knows what I am talking about.) The office used to be the bane of my existence when it came to house cleaning. But when your house is small, your husband works from home, and you really cannot help him clean up his space because you don't know what's important and what's not when it comes to his work stuff, you eventually have to concede defeat. Which I have done.

But I am having a lot of trouble giving up that control elsewhere. This has been on my mind a lot lately because of our extended hospital stay coming up. I have to give up one of the most important parts of my domain - Jamie. I have to relinquish my control (and by that, I mean care) of him over these next 1-2 weeks. Yes, we have a schedule planned out, and Jamie will spend his time with Shawn and others that love him and will take good care of him. But it is so hard for a mommy to let go. I am so bad that I am nervous about letting Shawn pack his suitcase to spend the weekend at Grania and Grand Dad's house. But I have to let Shawn pack his suitcase because I am already packing his suitcase (two days in advance) so Jamie can stay at his friend Ethan's house on the night of Clare's surgery, and I won't be here to then unpack that suitcase to repack it for the weekend. It's driving me bonkers! (And don't even mention the lists I have made for everyone about Jamie's snacks, sleep schedule, etc.) See how sick I am!?!

I am fairly in tune to my psyche, and I admit that part of my control problem (besides that it is in my personality) is that I do not have this control over Clare's life. I should have known I had lost the control from the day of her birth. She was on her own schedule coming into this world - 9 days late and had to have labor induced when I was really ready for her to come, then she was delivered when I was only 7 cm dilated and not ready at all! A parent knows that someday they will not be in control of their children's lives anymore. I just was not ready to give a lot of that up in Clare's infancy. But we have been forced to. So much of what happens to her is out of our hands. So I am reluctant to give up that control when it comes to Jamie.

This journey we've been on has taught me some important lessons about life and my perception of it. One of those lessons lately has been the old saying, "Let go and let God." I think I can truly say that when it comes to Clare, I am there. I have to be there and let God have her life in His care or I could not function from day to day with the worry and stress. It is in the other areas of my life that I am having trouble with that.

I want to slightly change the saying to one that has also become crucial in our lives now - "Let go and let others." We couldn't walk this journey without the incredible support of the people walking it with us. From our parents and siblings who wait at the hospital with us during Clare's procedures to our dear friends who rack up countless hours watching Jamie to the generous financial support from loved ones to the people across the country praying for us. It has been hard for me to admit that we need help. But we do - we can't do this without them either.

I am not all the way in my journey yet, but I am working on it, and God is working on it with me. At least I am ready to let Shawn pack Jamie's suitcase (I think).