Weekly Photo Challenge: Endurance
I think one of the biggest endurance tests is the daily marathon of being a parent. My child was, of course, perfect. But I hear that others were not.
Parenting is a day in and day out of love, affection, frustration, anger, and just hard labor. Nothing stops while you’re raising a child – jobs, other family members, having a place to live – all go on at the same time. Some days it’s hard getting out of bed and enduring yet another day of challenges, but we do. Because we have to. Because we want to. Because someone has to do and after the baby comes, we realize we truly are the adults and the ones who have to get it – whatever it is – done.
But you know, most days it’s worth it. I think parenting teaches us, tempers us, and matures us in a good way. We discover we can do things we didn’t think possible, from explaining fractions to a child who got lost in her homework to taking on a school system over a bullying issue (which resolved very well, thank you).
Parenting brings great challenges and great rewards. It never ends, of course, but it changes. And as our daughter and son-in-law prepare for the next generation, our relationships will again shift and adjust.
It is worth the endurance of running the race.
Oh yes, it definitely is.
[The photos above are all captioned or you can double click on one and start a slide show. That’s me with my favorite boy toy in the pictures except where my daughter is in the red top – that’s my sister in the pink dress. She gets a shout-out for all her help in raising my daughter and being a second mother every summer.]
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I’m not the only one to think of family to describe the word “endurance”. Over at Blessings Thru Raindrops, Annette posted some great photos of her mother on the slide with a great-grandchild!
To see how others interpreted this week’s photo challenge, click here.
Family Weekly Photo Challenge aunt daughter daughter's wedding family members graduation sister
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I am a backyard adventurer, philosopher and observer, recording my life in journals and photographs. Visit my blog at www.livingtheseasons.com.
Living The Seasons 
A beautiful inspiring version of this week’s theme. Parenting is indeed a perfect example of endurance. It’s a constant cycle of so many emotions, events, milestones, celebrations and many more. It is a gift and blessing. Thanks for sharing your wonderful family. All the best to you and your love ones.
Thank you and the same to you. I didn’t leave a note, but I loved the pictures of your son and his friend for the weekly photo challenge on nighttime. I love seeing your family also.
I’m sure you’re right about that Nancy – no kids here but I get to enjoy a grandchild by remarriage and I’m over the moon about it! Your daughter is lovely.
Thanks Tina!
Your daughter is a lovely young lady. Fun to see the milestones.
Thanks Patti! I was so tired and didn’t feel like doing it, but I’m really happy with it. It was fun to finish.
You had me at, “But I hear that others were not.” Ha!
My daughters are still very young, and it is tempting to be overwhelmed by the daily chores, sibling fights, tantrums, general defiance, and my two year old’s baffling aversion to toothbrushes. Thank you for sharing these beautiful family memories, and for reminding me to not take moments like these for granted.
Yeah, little bit of sarcasm there. We have a lot of good memories, but there were days it was tough being her parent. Here’s where I wrote about the joke we made at her college graduation. My mother did not think it was funny at all, but my husband and I couldn’t stop laughing because it was so true!
https://livingtheseasons.com/2011/02/13/finally/
Thanks for stopping by! That was sweet of you.
Nancy
how clever
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your memories.
Thanks Butch – I’ve seen your “likes” and am happy each time I see you stop by (thank you).
Love the photo collection and your commentary.
Thanks Kitty! I’m glad you liked it.
Loved this one! :-)
Thank you and nice to see you visiting!
Great photo essay and commentary. I know there were times as a parent I felt like I was on my last leg, but you just don’t/can’t/wont give up. It is definitely worth every minute.
Thanks Colleen! I’m glad you liked it. It is worth it, but there were days we wondered what would have happened if we had two like her. I’m not sure we would have survived!
Can’t help but chuckle! I think one of each of us is plenty!
LOL!
I love this trip down memory lane with you. Being a parent does try our endurance but you are right, it is so worth it. You will absolutely love being a grandparent. It’s awesome. (My granddaughters go to the hospital and help feed my mom, their great grandmother. How sweet is that)
That’s what I hear is grandparenting is so much easier! That’s wonderful your granddaughters are helping out with their great-grandmother and it gives them the family bond helping out that way. I’m glad you enjoyed the trip down memory lane! It was more effort than I expected, but I was really pleased with I when I got it done.