These Are the Best Days of Our Lives...So Far...Hopefully

Today was one of those days in a long run of days which all ended in my kids driving me nuts. Nelson left town Friday morning and returned Monday night around 8 PM so I'm thinking that had a lot to do with it.

Also, we've somehow suddenly reached the stage when the kids think that irritating their siblings is the best entertainment on the planet. You know, they turn the lights off in the bathroom when someone is in there, they lock the door every time someone goes outside, they steal things from each other, and pinch and poke and prod each other incessantly. Of course all those things set off a whole set of other happenings that involve screaming, running through the house, hitting back and overall madness in general.

As luck would have it, this series of events usually occurs when I'm on the phone with the doctor's office, or cooking dinner, or trying to help someone study.

It's not so much any one event as it is that all of them are happening on a daily basis...oh, about every 5 minutes or so (Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit. It probably only happens every ten minutes.).

This is the part of parenting that parents of older children totally block from their minds when they tell you, "Enjoy these moments, they are the best ones of your life." Either they block it out or they are speaking from the insanity caused by said children over the past twenty-five years or so.

I know this is a season and that things are not as horrid as they seem (at least that's what I tell myself). Sometimes though, I've got to keep it real if for no other reason than preventing myself from becoming one of those parents. I'm going to see those young mothers and say, "Hang in there. These are the hardest days of your life, but one day you'll reap the benefits of all your hard work so keep it up. This too shall pass."

I will. I will tell them that because it's the honest-to-goodness truth. I might even tell them that sometimes...sometimes, you reap the benefits right smack dab in the thick of things. Kind of like I did tonight before I went to bed when I found the following poem written by Mackenzie and left for me to find.

To: Mama


I Don't Know How You Do It


Four kids that drive you CRAZY

I don't know how you do it.

Your love for us is so amazing

I don't know how you do it.

Upside down, puzzled, twisted faces

I don't know how you do it.

Your mercy, love and other graces

I don't know how you do it.

So give three cheers for mom of the year

Who works very hard to keep us here.

I love you dearly, you love me yearly

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO IT!

Love,

Mackenzie

I was nearly moved to tears when I read this. I mean not only is the sentiment so very, very sweet, but the poem is well-written too.

Upon reading this I was suddenly overwhelmed with gratefulness for these creatures I was given the honor of co-creating with God. Of course, I'm always grateful but poetry kind of puts it over the top.

Suddenly I'm thinking that maybe it's not mental illness or early stage Alzheimer’s that those crazy older parents are under the influence of when they say those crazy things. No, it's definitely the moments like these that melt you like snow in Georgia. It's moments like these that you know there is no greater calling on this earth than to raise strong men and women of God. Moments like these let you know that having children is the greatest sacrifice you've ever chosen to take upon yourself.

So have children, as many as God gives you. Sure they're expensive and inconvenient and a tad irritating at times, but the payoff is oh, so much better than any of this. The payoff is beyond words.

All you parents of young, driving you crazy kids remember, these are the best days of our lives. And maybe, if we hang in there and do our hard work now, the days in the future...those days will be even better.