Mama Said There'll Be Days Like This

Each day of my life is different - and some days are better than others.

Some days I’m doing great. I wake up feeling good and I have time to mentally prepare myself for my day. The kids have a good day – there’s none (or very few) fights, everybody’s pretty happy and things are good. I get some things accomplished. My house is picked up and overall, pretty clean. I spend some time doing a hobby I really enjoy. I get some lovely mail from a family member and no bills! I’ve been able to make a meal, do a little writing and spend some quality time with my husband. We do something fun as a family. I may even have worked out a little. I'm feeling great about myself. I'm a good mom! A great wife! Just an all-around wonderful human being.

Then there are those other days...

I wake up groggily (and way too early, might I add) to the sound of screeching. My son’s already awake and running around, cackling wildly. My baby girl, her blankets, her sheets and the crib are covered in foul smelling green poop - hence the screeching I heard. While I'm changing her, my son is busy unrolling the toilet paper, dumping cereal on the floor and tearing practically every toy he has out. He has a horrible "I'm not listening and am going to be awful" day. I have a fight with my husband and end up pouting and fuming all day. All we get in the mail are bills that are due immediately. I get bad news from a family member. I've been puked on, peed on and pooped on fives times, but give up changing my clothes and just wear a smelly shirt. Dinner gets burnt (if it even gets made) and after staying up with the kids, I end up falling into bed around three thirty in the morning. I am not feeling like a good ANYTHING.

Obviously, these are extreme examples but that's the way life is sometimes. "Some days you're the windshield, some days you're the bug." Or perhaps "some days you're the pigeon, some days you're the statue." Whatever it is, bad things happen and it stinks. But it's good to be mindful of the things we have to be thankful for when we're going through bad times. It can be difficult though. When my kids are going through a not-so fun stage, I try to focus on the good things about that stage - and I try to remember that it will be but the blink of an eye and then they'll be twenty!

That's just life. It's wonderfully chaotic. And I wouldn't trade it for anything. :)

Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars. - Henry Van Dyke