Mmmm awesomeness

When I tell people I have 4 kids, some call me crazy or stupid. They don't say it to my face, mind you. They don't have to. I can see it in their eyes. They look me up and down and I see the, "She doesn't seem to look mentally ill" look they give me and for a moment I actually DO feel crazy. Then I mumble something qualifying like, but they are really awesome kids. Why do I let myself do that? Approval maybe? Is it human nature? Is it a character flaw? Being defensive? I don't know, but whatever it is, it has got to stop. Why do I have to justify why I have 4 kids? I don't ask them why they only have one or two or three or none?

Let's practice---
Judging Mom #1: How many kids do you have?! FOUR??!! Oh my. (head shake) Wow wow wow. Yikes.
Practice Response #1: Yep. And it was by choice! <--- lame response. . . will have to work on it more.
Practice Response #2: Yea, but Noah's wife had, like, a bazillion! <---- hmmm still not right.

Or, after I tell people I have 4 kids, I also can get this run down of one of many responses, but they all insinuate the same thing. "Super Mom." Really? Supermom? Far from it. First off, I had my kids one at a time, so by the time you think about having the next baby, you are pretty much used to having one (or forget how it was having a baby around) and you are ready for the next one. Then the next comes, you work it out, remember how hard it is, feel the groove, forget how hard it is, then another... repeat until you have your brood. Bam! And do you think that everyday I don't hang my head back and say to myself, "WHY DID I DO THIS AGAIN??" No. Not every day, but some days. Then there are some days when I tell myself, I can handle another one. Give me one more! But I still had to start with one. Like a juggler who can juggle 6 swords, 4 chairs and a chicken, he too had to start off with tossing scarfs. And it was probably hard for him too at first. It doesn't matter how many kids you have, being a parent is hard.

But then there are those extra hard days. You know those days. You knooow? Those days when you feel like you can't catch a break. You want to look good, you want a clean house, you want the kids to magically sit down and do their homework without complaint, you want the food you make to be their best meal they have ever eaten, but you get E. none of the above. And all you get is F. going through the motions hoping you survive the day. And you are surprised that you do.

But then there are those other days. Those amazing, blissful, you-don't-want-to-bring-up-how-awesome-it-really-is-for-fear-that-the-awesomeness-will-suddenly-wise-up, kind of days. We are punctual, the kids are clean and I have done their hair, the house is tidy (for the most part), the house is clean (like as in sanitary), and that meal was pretty darn delicious. And then my canteen gets full of awesomeness and I have a good stash to hold me together on days when I have do drink a lot of that stored up awesomeness just to survive. Because if it weren't for those awesome days, who would do this motherhood thing? I feel like I have to experience the hard to truly appreciate the awesomeness.

No, I don't do everything on my check list. Sha right. But I try to try. Did you read that? That wasn't a typo. I try to try. Numerous times a day I fail. Oooo, I left that load of wet laundry sit a little too long, should I just restart that sucker? or Holy cow, is it really that time? We have exactly T minus 2 minutes to go to school to pick up the girls! Dang, I have to get the other 2 ready to go out the door and sprint to school. Yea. Supermom? REALLY!? Not so much. Next thing you know I am collecting my kids, quickly engage them into conversation so you don't have to hear or dwell on how horrible of a mom you are for being late, and then scoot them off trying not to make too much eye contact with the teacher. Again. But if you never try to try, then you never know how awesome life really can be.

And believe it or not. Lots of people understand your situation. So what if there are those who don't understand? Yes, lady. I had 4 kids ON PURPOSE! There are moms everywhere that approve, salute, lift you up, commend, offer a helping hand, and even envy those with a big family. I don't have to endorse big families or even come off better than anyone because we chose to have a larger family. But I do have to be grateful and remember what Joseph B Worthlin stated: "come what may, and love it." He didn't say I had to like it all the time, though. I might not like my situation, day, or kid at the time, but I truly do love it. That's the bottom line. 

         So now I have my response. 

I am sure a very nice Lady: I can't believe you have 4 kids. That's nuts. 

BEST response: I do have 4 kids. And I LOVE it! 

Because when there are days like this:

You know that you are truly living the good life. mmmmm awesomeness!

For all you Supermoms out there no matter how many kids you have, I commend your trying to try. Keep it up!