To the mama sitting at home rocking her freshly new baby in the rocking chair.

To the mama at home wrestling the toddler on their fourth tantrum in the last hour.

To the mama at home battling through the desire to get their child to nap, yet not wanting to hear them scream in their crib.

To the mama at home who doesn’t know the last time she showered or brushed her teeth or put on makeup.

To the mama at home who has no idea if it’s raining or the sun is shining because she hasn’t stepped outside her house in who knows how long.

Mama, I know these days are lonely.

It is a constant battle to decide if leaving the house today is worth it when the number of tantrums had before even making it out the door have left you too exhausted to even face what’s out there. When trying to figure out if you will even get everything that needs to be done finished before the baby screams to be fed again. When you know you’re just an hour away from nap time, and oh dear Lord you do not want to be late for nap time. When your sanity rests on getting out of the house to feel like there is something more than those four walls you find yourself standing in, even if all you do is find yourself sitting at the mall play area trying to catch a breath.

I know it gets really hard not to feel like you’re the only one. It is almost impossible not to feel the weight of loneliness start to wear you down because your heart longs for there to be so much more than the world within your home.

Mama, I just want you to hear that gentle whisper that says “this won’t last forever.”

There will be a day when your heart longs for the lonely days like it longed for them to end. You will miss rocking that fresh baby to sleep. You will miss the constant learning and discovery of that toddler. You will miss when staying at home with your family wasn’t overtaken by running to school, and sports practices, and school clubs.

You’re in a season, a season that often makes the loneliness seem like it will last forever. A season where it’s so easy to forget the magnitude of the difference you are making in the little lives before you. When you think about how much longer you have to go it seems like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. But when you look back and see how much time is gone, you wonder how it all left so quick.

I know it can be lonely, mama. I’m not going to tell you it isn’t. I am not going to tell you to get over it. It’s a part of this whole thing we call motherhood. It’s not easy bringing up little ones. So know mama, you’re not alone. We are traveling through these lonely days together. I know you’ll make it through, you’re strong mama, and you’re not alone.