Parenthood is a funny thing. Those sweet little babies don’t come with an instruction manual and a lot of the time, you’re really just winging it.

My oldest is turning 15 today. Fifteen years ago, I walked into the hospital in southern Florida, they scooped out a screaming baby boy, and sent me home. I remember wondering what made them think I was qualified to take this little bundle home.

I was only twenty one, and we were twenty five days away from our first wedding anniversary.  We were kids. And parents.

I still look around sometimes and wonder how this all is supposed to work. Who, exactly, thought I was qualified to do all this?! Adulthood seems like a farce sometimes.  Surely I’m not the only one who feels like she has no idea what she’s doing and just makes it up as it comes along.

On a wing and a prayer, it all seems to work out. We make the best choices we can, given the cards we are handed and then we pray that it all works out. God saw us to be qualified, so we pick up and carry on. We lean on Him and we lean on His Mother.

God was wise when He gave us Mary, a young mother who I am sure also felt unqualified for her job. But He called her and she said yes.  We can lean into her when the tasks seem too much. I was clueless as I walked out of that hospital, a young mom to a little boy. She must have felt clueless, too, as she sat in that stable, a young mom to the Son of God. That seems a bit more overwhelming than any of our situations, huh?

Her fiat is our fiat.  We say yes to His call and even when we feel overwhelmed, under qualified, and a bit of a mess, we can turn to Mary, because she understands.

As Gianna Molla, also a mama who I am sure questioned her qualifications, says:

Love your children.  In them, you can see baby Jesus. Pray for them a lot and everyday, place them under holy Mary’s protection.

Motherhood – parenthood – in no small and easy job.  It’s hard and exhausting and we often look around and wonder who thought we were cut out for such an enormous and daunting task.  The answer is God.  He found you capable. And he equips us for the task.  He also sends us saints to emulate and His very own Mother to guide us and carry us.

So, carry on, good mamas.  Fight the good fight and lean into Our Lady, everyday.