the irony

I had to chuckle when my sister told me about a conversation she'd recently had with a very good friend of hers and a blogger that I highly respect. It seems that her friend was having a very bad day with her two kiddos and asked my sister about me. "How does she do it with three?!" She seemed to have the misconception that I have my act together and am a model mother. This came as such a relief to me because I think the same of her! She seems so loving and calm (and I'm sure she is) but I didn't picture her having bad days like I do. I mean, I try every day to do better and sometimes I make progress and some days lose ground, but I would never consider myself a model mom. I beat myself up and usually give all the credit to my husband when I see how well they are turning out. It really made me realize that if my sister's friend can have a bad day and doubt her abilities as a mother, too, then it's all going to be okay. Because I know that her children are loved and treasured and so are mine. They are secure enough to stand the storm of a bad day. They are hardy and resilient because of the fact that they have two parents that would gladly die for them. They know in their hearts that a stressed-out mother at the end of her rope is only temporary. I have been vindicated...