Here's to maintaining some self-respect and sanity while tending to the growth and maturation of young minds, including your own young mind. Here's to recognizing that it isn't necessary to know how everything is going to turn out in advance, and that often Life has much better in store than one can imagine. Here's to hope and happiness even when Life gets complicated, especially then... That's when it's needed it most.

...afterall, the car may only seat seven but room for friends is unlimited...

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Mother's Day is Here!

Today is Mother's Day. I know I'm lucky. I wanted to be a mother, and I am. There are many many women for whom one side of that equation is out of balance. I know of 4 particularly wonderful women in my own family whose desire to mother children of their own is almost overwhelming, and yet they have not been blessed wtih children. D and I have five beautiful children and hardly deserve them, but we truly wanted all of them.

I thought college was difficult. This, however, is the most difficult thing I've ever tried to survive. To be sure, the experience of raising these five children will bless me with the the equivalent of many doctoral degrees in the area of child, family and personal development. I've completed nearly twelve years of labwork and experimentation already. At this moment I could probably start an internet university focused solely on the cultivation of patience with four year olds. I have no doubt that there are many mothers who are mining the internet for gems related to this issue on this very Mother's Day. How can I be so sure? My own four year old is crying on the floor next to me because I won't come out of the office and be with the family. He doesn't seem to understand that I've been banned from that area of the house due to the fact that Mother's Day preparations are happening there. He doesn't care. He just wants me to come and sit on the couch and watch Arthur with him. "Come out of the Office! Whaaaaaaa!!! Come out of the OoOofffffiiiiIIce!" That's where the patience comes in, and I know I'm not unique.

One way that I am unique today is the fact that D has gone a bit overboard today. I can tell by the way he is busily rushing here and there, making sure that I enjoy every moment. This may very well be the best day of my entire life. I better get ready to really enjoy it.

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