Let MotherHOOD Consume You ✨

Somewhere along the way, society decided that being “consumed by motherhood” was a warning label.

Don’t let motherhood consume you.

Don’t lose yourself.

Make sure you still have an identity.

And lately, I’ve been sitting with that phrase and thinking… why is that automatically a bad thing?

Because if I’m being honest, I’ve been fully immersed in motherhood lately and it’s been freeing.

Not in a losing-myself way.

Not in a disappearing-into-only-being-a-mom way.

But in a this is the identity I chose, the life I prayed for, and the season I’m in kind of way.

I’m not losing myself in motherhood.

I’m allowing myself to be present in it.

There’s a difference.

This version of motherhood, the constant needs, the questions, the closeness, the being-needed-24/7 — isn’t forever. One day, our kids won’t need us like this. One day, they won’t want to be under us, around us, calling our name from the next room. One day, they’ll build lives that don’t revolve around us in the same way.

And when you really think about it… the time we have to fully immerse ourselves in this part of motherhood is actually pretty short.

So why are we rushing ourselves through it?

Why are we made to feel like leaning in too much is unhealthy?

Why is presence mistaken for loss?

For me, allowing motherhood to “consume” me has looked like releasing the guilt around enjoying this season. It’s letting myself soak up the moments instead of constantly worrying about what’s next. It’s reminding myself that this is where I want to be even on the hard days.

Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t need space for myself.

It just means my peace may look different right now.

Sometimes peace is once the kids are finally down, I watch a quiet hour with of TV and drink a glass of wine.

Sometimes it’s stepping outside during nap time and just breathing.

Sometimes it’s sitting in the silence after the house finally settles.

Little moments.

Intentional pauses.

Small ways of choosing myself within motherhood, not outside of it.

And to the moms who feel like they don’t get breaks. To the moms with limited support.

To the moms who are in survival mode and wondering when they’ll feel like themselves again

I want you to know you’re not alone and this WILL PASS!

This season is not forever.

These needs won’t always be this intense. And it’s okay if your “me time” looks like five quiet minutes instead of a full hour.

Find the light where you can.

Find the love where it shows up.

Create peace in the small moments that are available to you.

Being consumed by motherhood doesn’t mean you disappear.

Sometimes it means you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.

And I don’t know about you, but I’m nowhere near ready for the day my kids don’t need me like this anymore.

So for now, I’m leaning in. I’m allowing myself to be consumed by this season, this love, this identity, without shame.

Because motherhood isn’t taking anything from me.

It’s giving me something I’ll never get back once it passes.

And that feels like something worth embracing!

With You, Tsedaye

The Weight We Carry Inside Our Happiness

Over the years, something unexpected happened: guilt became a shadow following me whenever happiness tried to enter my life.

Three years later, and I still find myself feeling guilty for being happy.Have you ever gone through something so horrific that you couldn’t see a way out of it? That was me. I didn’t see a path forward. I didn’t see myself living beyond that moment.

But God. He met me in the pieces. He met me in the quiet. He met me in the parts of myself I thought were too broken to be touched.

It was God who held me when I couldn’t hold myself. It was God who gave me peace when everything inside me was storming. And even as I embraced healing, I still felt guilty in this new chapter.

There is a part of me that stayed tied to the unhealed, depressed version of myself because that’s the version that felt closest to my heaven baby. That version of me was surrounded by grief, and grief felt like the only connection I had left to him.

So now, as life continues to move forward, there are days and weeks when guilt hits me hard.Like… How am I just moving forward without him? How can life be allowed to feel good again?

But the truth is, I’m not moving on.I’m moving with him.

There isn’t a day I don’t think about him, and I know that will never change. He is part of me. He is woven into my heart, my motherhood, my faith, and my purpose.

I’m trying to find a place within myself where I can accept both: the reality of the loss and the reality of the happiness God is giving me now. Both can exist. Both belong to me. Both are valid.

I deserve to be happy. Not because the pain is over but because God has promised healing, purpose, and restoration even in the middle of my grief.

Happiness doesn’t erase the love I have for my son. Happiness doesn’t replace the memories I never got to make. Happiness doesn’t close the chapter it simply lights it.

I am learning to give myself permission to feel joy without guilt. To trust that God can hold my grief and my healing at the same time.To believe that my baby is honored not only in my tears, but also in my smiles.

This journey isn’t easy, but I am walking it.One prayer, one breath, one moment of courage at a time.

And this is for anyone who may be feeling guilt in their happiness.

You deserve joy.You deserve moments of peace. You deserve to laugh again without questioning if it’s “too soon.”Your happiness doesn’t mean you’ve forgotten them. Your healing doesn’t mean the love you carry has faded.

You can honor your loved one and still allow yourself to breathe.You can cherish their memory and still build a life that holds beauty.You can cry and smile.You can remember and grow.You can grieve and still choose life.

Happiness doesn’t erase the love you lost it simply proves that love changed you.

And as you navigate this difficult space, season, or moment, remember this:

You are not alone.You deserve every good thing that happens to you.

With You, Tsedaye

💛 The Realities of Motherhood

It’s not always sunshine and rainbows and that’s okay.

Let’s be real: Motherhood is a blessing. A privilege. A miracle.

But let’s not pretend it’s easy!

Because the truth is there’s no blueprint for this sh*t.

It will test your patience, poke your insecurities, and stretch you in ways you didn’t know were possible. And it will also fill your heart with a kind of joy and depth you never saw coming.

🌧️ It’s Not Always Cute, Clean, or Calm

Motherhood is:

• Crying in the shower at 7am and dancing in the kitchen by 7pm.

• Wiping tiny faces while your own is stained with silent tears.

• Being “on” all the time even when you’re mentally, emotionally, and physically DONE.

• Feeling guilty for needing space, then guilty again for enjoying it.

It’s doing five things at once and still feeling like you didn’t do enough.

And yet… you show up. Even when it’s messy. Even when it’s heavy. Even when nobody sees YOU!

🧡 But Let’s Talk About What’s Also True

Even on the hardest days , You are still mothering. Still loving. Still giving.

And that COUNTS!

You’re making magic in the middle of the mundane. You’re healing while helping. You’re tired but still creating joy. That is power. That is resilience. That is YOU!

✨ Some Days, the Joy Is Quiet

It’s not always belly laughs and big milestones. Sometimes the joy is:

• A soft “Mama” whispered in the dark.

• Their head on your chest as you breathe together.

• A moment of peace in a loud day.

• A smile exchanged when no words are needed.

The joy is in the little things and it’s okay if you have to look for it sometimes.

🌱 Here’s What You’re Allowed To Do:

Let me say this clearly:

• You’re allowed to outgrow parts of yourself while still being a good mom.

• You’re allowed to love your kids and still miss the YOU from before.

• You’re allowed to rest, not just when everything is done but because you need it.

• You’re allowed to be soft, strong, messy, unsure and still be ENOUGH!

You are still a "Good Mom" when you ask for help. You are still worthy when you need a break. You are still whole even on the days you feel undone.

And Mama, This Is Your Reminder:

You’re not doing it wrong. You’re just doing something really, really hard. You are raising little humans while figuring out how to keep showing up as one yourself.

So if today felt like too much…If you’ve been surviving on grace and coffee and quiet tears…If you need someone to tell you that you’re not crazy, you’re not weak, you’re not failing, HERE I AM, Saying it with love: You’re doing an amazing job.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about love. And mama you’re loving so well.

✨ Final Words:

Motherhood is the most sacred kind of chaos. And while it might not always be sunshine and rainbows It’s real. It’s raw. It’s yours.

And that?

That’s enough. Always.

With you,Tsedaye | Maternal Sanctuary