A Mom's Life

Andy and I have three children; Caroline, Charlotte and each other. Most mornings, I wake up, run, and shower, and then I rouse the lazy daisies. I'll spend the next hour, sometimes gently, and more often angrily, demanding that the rest of my family get ready for the day. I scurry between rooms, reminding each of my family members about their next task: "Caroline, put on your shirt. Charlotte, brush your teeth. Andy, get off of the computer and go take a shower. Caroline, NOW! Charlotte, NOW! Andy, NOW!" The pattern is almost exactly the same each day. I can count on all three of them to be incapable of getting themselves ready without my cajoling. Yes, you're right. You're thinking that my expectations are a little high for a 5 and 1 year old. Perhaps this is true. Perhaps I'm asking too much for my kids to independently dress and prepare themselves for school. What about my big kid? Am I asking too much of Andy, the only other adult in the house, who mind ...

From time-to-time, a friend or relative without a child will ask me why I wanted to have kids. The comment usually comes when one, or both, of my girls are throwing a tempter tantrum or are climbing on me like a jungle gym and I am near tears and insanity. It is often hard, particularly at those moments, to clearly articulate exactly why it is that having kids is so truly rewarding. In the end, unconditional love would probably sum it up, however there are a million reasons why I love being a parent. From seeing someone who looks or acts like you, getting tons of hugs and kisses to knowing that you have the ability to mentor someone to become a change-maker, the rewards outweigh the challenges. With small children, one of the biggest perks I've been given is that I no longer take things for granted. I can honestly say that I don't even remember what it was like to not have kids. I mean, I remember being in high school and college and I look back on the crazy times of my you...