Ya know, sometimes, you just need to give a little. It's worth it!
I went to bed a little early because Brian took the girls to the lake and I knew they would be back at dark. I like doing this because it means Brian will do bedtime since I'm already in bed!
I was watching TV, a bed time ritual for myself, when the girls came in. They wanted to tell me what they did at the lake and Michelle crawls up in bed with me. She is getting all comfy and I tell her and Carolyn that they need to go get their pajamas on. If they will get changed, they can come back and give me kisses before Daddy tucks them in. "Okay, Mommy" they say.
A few minutes later, they come back and crawl back in bed with me. I tell them they can stay for a few minutes but they must go to bed, it's late and they will be bears in the morning. They get comfortable snuggling with me and I am laying there thinking, " Wow, I am truly the luckiest Mom in the World." My kids want to be with me even though I can sometimes upset them. They tell me I am "The Best Mom in the Whole World" and I believe them! It feels so good I don't want it to end.
I remind my self to appreciate all the little things with them, the shoes left all over the house, the clothes that cannot get into the laundry basket, the toys that come out 5 minutes after they have been put away. When I look back in 10 years, 5 even, I want to know that I took a few minutes every day to just stop, give them another hug, to get down on their level to play instead of complain about the mess, let them stay up a few minutes past bedtime, to thank God for them and rejoice that at least THEY think I am the BEST MOM EVER!
