Mother's Day

  It always helps if I have reasonable expectations for "special days" like Mother's Day, my birthday, and Christmas.

  Reality is, we've had small children for 15 years now.  Small children are inherently self centered.  They don't pay attention to the calendar.  No switch turns on in their brains which encourages them to behave better on a special occasion for Mom.

  So this afternoon has been...challenging.  Our toddler is being a total terror AT THIS MOMENT.  He keeps saying he is hungry.  Yes, dinner is 10 minutes off, kid.  Yes, you will need to wait.  He keeps whining and fussing and saying OVER and OVER and OVER, "I'm hungry. I'm hungry."  He got lunch and snack mid afternoon, so I know he isn't dying of hunger.  He's just focused.

  It has been a good day, of course.  Any day with my precious husband and 9 wonderful kids IS a good day. Maybe not an easy day, but a good day.

  I was thinking -- if I could have anything today, what would it be?  The first thing that came to mind was that I would like...a  day off.  From mothering.  So I'm actually planning on taking part of a day off this week.  Kevin will be on vacation so I am hoping to leave one afternoon and go to a couple of places and not come back 'til night time.

  I have some introverted tendencies.  I adore my kids.  They are wonderful. But lots of kid interactions can drain me, especially the littles when they are being whiny, disobedient, and obsessive about something.  The older kids can find something to focus on and will leave me alone if I really need time to recharge, but the littles don't.  Of course I don't blame them. They are very needy and that is good and fine.

  So Happy Mother's Day to me, and to all the other moms out there.  Motherhood is one of the greatest blessings in the world and I am very thankful the Lord gave me these precious little (and big) people with whom I share life.