A Perfect Day

Do you ever have one of those days as a mom where things just seem to go smoothly and you are satisfied with the day's events? Where your children play well together with little to no supervision/mediation needed? Where even if you do have to discipline you don't do it out of anger? Where even if there is an accident, you respond calmly? Where you are able to complete a project with your children with no "hiccups"? Where your kids eat ALL of their dinner without any whining or complaining and you get the joy of being able to give them dessert later?

Well, today was NOT one of those days. It was just about opposite of everything I said. I wish I could say that patience and loving kindness where the things that flowed from my heart...but a majority of the time, they weren't. It probably is due to in part that I didn't fall asleep till about 1 AM last night and woke up about four times between then and 7:30 AM...and I'm a 9-10 hr/night sleep kind of girl.

The day didn't start out so horribly but from lunch time on it's been crazy. I have been letting Colin drink from a cup without a lid during meals, but after lunch he came to grab his cup and flung it in a way that Gatorade ended up on half the kitchen floor. Colin had been nothing but cranky and didn't really eat lunch, so I put him down for nap early. After he woke up I heard him calling my name, which normally means he crawled up to the top bunk and needs help down. So I went upstairs to find him on the dresser covered in Destin and Vaseline. Thankfully the Destin tube was practically empty..so minus the few spots I have to get out of my carpet..it wasn't that bad. Pretty much from then on (about 1:30) he has whined/screamed/cried continuously. The "terrible twos" have definitely been in full action as well. He's been testing boundaries, being destructive towards things in general, bullying his brother, etc. (This is not just today either.) So after dinner, which he chose not to eat either, I tried giving him some alone play time which ended up being a 10 minute screaming session. Tried giving him a bath to help calm him down...he screamed when I put him in and continuously while I tried to wash him, then he screamed when I turned the water off to take him out. Total bath time was about 45 seconds.

So now it's a little past 7 PM and he is in bed. Praise God!!!!!! Hoping to spend the rest of the evening with Ryan and "re-group" for tomorrow. Thankful for those moments/days that "make-up" for days like these. And still overwhelmed with love for my boys.

Father God, continue to teach me to be the mother you want me to be and the mother that my boys need me to be. Continue to convict my heart about my own attitudes. Let me be SO reminded of your grace and love for me that these are the attitudes that flow NATURALLY out of my heart even in the rough spots.