Brave, Rockstar, Super-Mom

Those are three of the words from some of my ever-so-kind Instagram friends today... Commenting on me being alone at the doctors with all three boys. Those comments gave me some super fuel to power through the next hour or so... But if you were to step behind the picture you'd see everything but. I think the theme song would be "I'm a survivor." 

Brave. Not so much. It was a complete necessity. I tried everything to avoid it. Baby woke up with pink eye, called doctors at 9am to find their only available appointment is 1:15- smack dab in the middle of nap time and my husbands meeting he couldn't rearrange. So no bravery here, just a survival moment of "do what ya gotta do." 

Rockstar. Man can I make the pics look like that. All boys looking at the camera, two out of three smiling. But the only "rockstar" was Caleb who pulled the stirrups out of the old patient table and while balancing on them was screaming at the top of his lungs, while Connor played on the iPad and I tried to nurse my sick babe. (I'm sure everyone could hear the "show" through the paper thin walls! Hey I think it got the doctor into our room a little quicker!) 

Super-Mom. Well as I sit here in the pharmacy drive thru after everyone having the most nutritious dinner ever (a bowl of cereal.) I don't feel like a Super-Mom. I'm replaying all the moments of today while judging the cars in line in front of me why they are in the drive thru with no children in their cars... 

Connor roared at a little boy just at the approach of him coming near the magazine rack. Snatched the one and only toy from another boy! (Why on earth our pediatricians office only has one toy in their entire establishment boggles my mind and I managed to fill out a comment card while I was there-- someone had to get the brunt of my frustration.) Caleb treated our glass ball string lights in the backyard like a baseball game and shattered glass all over. Spit on his grandparents multiple times while Skyping with them. Connor hit me while being put in bed for nap time. They fought. They made messes. They had tons of poopy diapers. And both Caleb and Cade never took a nap. 

On these tough days I'm reminded I don't have to do it alone. I'm reminded of how much in need I am of my God. His joy really is my strength to not just "survive" motherhood, but to thrive in the midst of the crazy years. At the end of every day (and normally in the middle) I can give thanks to Him for every blessing and this life He believes I am capable of leading— and doing it well." 

How good is this?!.....

"The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving." Psalm 28:7