The Mother Hen

You've Got to be Kidding Me

Its been one of those days. One of those failure-to-thrive-whose-kids-are-these-I-wish-I-were-in-Vegas days. Somewhere in Oregon Bestie Kim is nodding in appreciation and Shannon is raising her 4:00 beer to me. Amen my sister friends.

It is 3:30 and I have resorted to putting a movie on the portable DVD player because we couldn't find the TV remote and that's how desperate I was for quiet time. Its been like this all day; it started 5 minutes within of waking up to Samuel's piercing, raise the dead, scream because he shut his finger in the bathroom door. On the outside I was full of Mommy compassion but on the inside I was like, "STOP SCREAMING IN MY EAR AT 6:45"! Shortly after that, Emily slipped on spilled water and neither of them have stopped whining since. It is approximately 9 hours later and I am so tired of their little whiny selves I could put myself in solitary confinement if only I could find a place where they couldn't find me.

I don't know if its because we are in Montana and they miss their home and Daddy or if God is playing a cruel joke on me. I think the latter because I don't care how homesick you are there is nothing short of God playing a cruel joke on me that could make these children turn into pure evil the way they clearly did last night while they slept.

They have fought, pushed, kicked, cried, told me no, told me they were hungry, told me they were full, told me they wanted to go outside, told me it was too cold outside for 9 hours. Yes, 9 hours. Oh, I guess I already mentioned that part. On this 9 hour thought though, let me just make this one point: a normal work day is only 8 hours. I've been going for 9 (thank you for paying attention) and will continue to go probably until around 8:00 tonight. That's 4.5 more hours. And all you moms are nodding in appreciation and the lucky ones are raising a 4:00 beer to me because you all are doing the same, dang thing. The same unappreciated, sometimes monotonous, job that I am.

And here's the funny part: like me, you wouldn't trade it for anything. Somewhere deep in your heart you know this is a holy calling. And while it may be hard to remember today you feel it in your bones and with every fiber of your being. It often presents itself with goose bumps on your arm when one of them throws their arms around you and says, "I love you Mama".

So if you're having a day like mine I applaud you. I applaud you for hanging in there. I applaud you for not beating them within an inch of their life. I applaud you for not being drunk out of your mind. I applaud you for working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at a job you'll never get paid at and may go several days without a thank you. I applaud you for kissing away the boo boos, for running the errands, for getting the laundry done (even if not put away), for praying for your kids when you'd really just like to donate them to science. I applaud you for being amazing.

Guess who else applauds you? Your Heavenly Father. And yes, He may be playing a cruel joke on you just like He is me but He loves you and He will honor and bless your love and devotion to your family. He will lead you and carry you close to His heart. And that just may be all I needed to hear to get me through the rest of this day.

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
He gently leads those that have young (Isaiah 40:11).