Winter Reality

Every now and again someone makes a comment here or on facebook about how they just cannot believe how organized and together I am . . . and then I burst out laughing.

Perhaps I do not share enough about the reality of being a single Mom with three young children while running a full-time daycare. My life is rarely organized. I miss deadlines, I forget to check backpacks, my house looks like a tornado has blown through more days than not. One day last week I told my kids they could have Christmas cookies for dinner as long as they had a glass of milk and piece of fresh fruit with it. The inside of my car is disgusting and a whole 12 pack of Diet Coke exploded in the garage fridge last week. I sometimes craft with the children but a lot of the time I don't. I used to scrapbook and make cards, but now those supplies sit in the basement gathering dust.

My life is anything but pretty, but it is a good life. I have so much to be thankful for and if nothing else, this season of my life has taught me patience. I have no idea how long this season will be or what other lessons I still need to learn, but I have accepted it for what is - a challenge.

These deceptively happy photos fail to let you know that it took 25 minutes to get outside. That the baby pooped about two minutes after getting outside. The other baby kept losing his glove and then falling over in the snow. His snowsuit is so big that he cannot move if he falls over. Four kids had runny noses and I spent every other minute wiping someones nose. The boys were fighting over a sled and Calvin was not listening to me. I ended up using my best mean mommy voice to loudly threaten him with being put on the naughty list if he DID NOT SHARE THE ORANGE SLED!!! I tried to shovel part of the driveway, but by that time both babies were crying and wanted to go inside so I cleared about a two foot square. That is how my life really looks. Do not be fooled by the photos.