… and a little gratitude will definitely help!

The last week or two has been a little “up and down” around here.  You know, roller coaster time.  Lots of whining and fussing and foot stamping.  Scowls and sighs… tears and pouts.  Drama… and a little more drama… and then a little MORE!

Yeah, and the kids have been acting out some too…

(Have y’all heard this before?  Probably so…)

Yes, I’ll admit it – I’ve had a rough couple of weeks, in my private “non-digi-scrap-bloggy” part of life (otherwise known as being MAMA to three little ones).  And while I exaggerated (just a bit) in the paragraph above, there have been too many moments that I haven’t been proud of my attitude.

There are lots of “reasons” why I’ve been “under the weather” as a Mama lately…

…a teething, rather fussy, baby girl who insists on climbing EVERYTHING… ALL THE TIME… EVERY DAY… (and who thinks she’s NOT much of a baby anymore…hmm… she’s kinda NOT…sigh).

…a little guy with a cold, who has not only been sick and ended up in the ER (for like the SIXTH TIME) with croup, but who has also decided that using the bathroom is for other people… NOT for HIM…

…a little bit BIGGER boy who has also had a cold, and who missed three days of school last week, before going back on Thursday in time for his Halloween party, only to have Friday off (Happy Nevada Day, a few days late!).  Yes, that’s right… big brother went to school ONE day last week… and he still has a cold this week…

…and so many other small petty insignificant things that when added up mean not that much, but that managed to get under my skin anyway…

Oh, who am I kidding – you can read all that above and know that most of the problem lies solely in one place, and that’s in this Mama’s head and heart. (Ok, that’s two places, but you know what I mean).

I’ve purposefully made choices to let things GET to me.  I’ve chosen NOT to pray when I needed to.  I’ve stresssed over things that meant NOTHING in the big picture of life.  I’ve become annoyed when other people didn’t do things they way *I* wanted them to do them.  I’ve stayed up too late, and grumbled when I got up early…

I really want to blame it ALL on hormones… and the kids and their colds… and my arthritis (sigh, that sounds like I’m a LOT older than 36, doesn’t it?).

But I can’t truly blame it on those things, and so I won’t.

I had a moment on Sunday last week, when I was getting ready for church.  My baby girl was standing beside me (as she almost always is – my little shadow, we call her).  I was blow drying my hair, and I looked down at her, looking up at me.  She had a sweet look on her face – I’d call it adoration if that didn’t sound arrogant to say.  She just looked up at me… and I looked down at her… and I started crying. For some reason the look on her face, and the SMACK upside the head that it gave me (about how I’ve been feeling and acting lately) just made me lose it.  I realized a few things in those moments, while she wondered what was suddenly wrong with Mama.

You know what?  My kids don’t care if I look good or feel good or dress good (yes, bad grammar, but I was goin’ for flow there).  They don’t even care if I SMELL good, although they are happy to point out when I DON’T!  (They boys especially find that fun, for some strange reason).

They just want me to BE there.  To HUG them.  To KISS them.  To LOVE on them.  To read a book, to pay attention, to clap for their songs and dances and jokes.  To be interested in what they are saying and doing and thinking.

They DON’T want a Mama who is distracted.  Or a mama who is reading email more than she is reading books to them.  Or a mama who is so intent on following a new recipe that she fails to hear how much they want to be a part of the adventure in the kitchen.  Or a mama who is too tired to do simple projects, play simple games, or even enjoy simple laughter.

I mean, really… look at these faces… who wouldn’t want to be hangin’ out having fun with THESE little folks??

So… I am choosing today to want what they want.  I want to be HAPPY today. I want to be THANKFUL for my beautiful, amazing, talented, loving children.  I choose to be GRATEFUL for my husband who puts up with me, even when I’m rebellious and annoying and grumpy.  I desire to be THRILLED to have a husband and a family to care for, even when they all drive me nuts. I want to be IN THE MOMENT with my kids (all three of them, ALL day long, because yes.. Samuel has ANOTHER day off from school).  I want to hug them, kiss them, cuddle them, tickle them… and did I say it already? Be HAPPY with them!

And I wish the same for you… and yours!

Do you have something that you are choosing to be grateful for today?  If so, why not blog about it and then click on over to Laura’s blog and leave a link in the Gratituesday Mr Linky.  We could all use a little more latitude in our attitude, and a little gratitude will definitely go a LONG way!

(Plus it’s Laura’s Website-aversary, and there are a TON of fun things going on over there, and you’ll definitely want to be a part of it all!)