A strange thing happened to me this morning after I dropped my two oldest children off at school. As I headed home with my remaining two kids I had a funny feeling hit me - I was missing my big girls! Now, some might think this makes me a horrible mother, but generally I drop the school girls off and head home with a somewhat peaceful sigh. For those few hours a day my house is several decibels quieter, and instead of keeping up with four kids I only have to manage two. I dearly love my children and gladly wait to pick up the school kids in the carpool line. Usually. But today for some reason, instead of feeling that brief reprieve I normally feel, I felt an emptiness when they hopped out of the car.
What brought this sudden change on I am not sure. Maybe my hormones are all out of whack. Or maybe it is that everyone stayed home last Friday sick and we had three solid days to spend together. Or maybe it is God letting me know that my family is complete. Maybe it is all of the above. I don't know. Maybe I just needed to realize how much they mean to me. That through all of the squabbles, tantrums, meltdowns, and fights that I am constantly refereeing, are the times (sometimes few and far between!) that I see all the girls playing together and making my heart melt. The times between feeding the baby and making supper for everyone else that I just look at my children in amazement. They are all so precious and unique.
They all have their quirks and missteps - so do I! And overwhelming as it is at times, I wouldn't trade any of it for anything.
Here are some of the funny happenings of today (with a few not-me mondays):
Earlier when Keri-lyn answered a question I asked her and I told her I didn't believe her, she told me this - "Quit not believing me! I almost never tell lies!"
When Jaycee was told that she could not have any ice cream until she had eaten her two pieces of broccoli, she most certainly did not move them to Layna's plate and come tell me straight faced that she had eaten it. None of my children would ever do such a thing as that.
And I did not inappropriately laugh out loud when my mother told me that she was going to Walmart to look for carpet cleaner to remove the crayon that Layna used to color the carpet at church. Not me.
And I did not more than likely miss Micah rolling over for the 1st time because I was stuck in the bathroom this morning. I would never attempt to use the bathroom alone and chance missing a major milestone like that. Not me.
Finally, I would never tell my children they must eat supper before they ate any ice cream when I secretly ate a Skinny Cow while they were out playing and while I was making supper. I would never do that.
Happy Monday!
