Yesterday, I struggled. While posting about our sweet #3, I was struggling. No one would ever know, right? While getting our #3 ready for school and on the bus, I was struggling. But he got on the bus and off to school. Thank you Jesus! I came back inside and laid on the couch while the house was a mess and I had work to get done. The Little Miss was singing away to nursery rhymes on the Ipad and I was thankful for the calm. I texted the husband asking if he’d be able to pick up the big boys from school if I needed him to. In our house it’s all about finding back up plans. Constantly. An hour later and yep. I asked him to pick the boys up and I moved to my bed. The Little Miss followed me, and reminded me just how amazing these little people are. As I’m getting into bed, she says, “Mommy. Fan?…There you go.” She knows I like the fan on me. She turned the fan on and climbed up on the bed and watched her iPad while I slept and wasn’t sure if I was going to be sick. Travis came home before picking the boys up to see if she needed to come with him to school. As he came into the room she told him “Shhhhhh!” And she was content staying with me, and I was content letting her stay with me. Y’all, we’ve reached a new milestone! While the days we struggle aren’t fun, there’s ALWAYS something that I’m so incredibly thankful for. We have made it past the days of panicking about babies…or our sweet #3 escaping…or setting the house on fire if Mom is sick. WE MADE IT! While I struggle that my kids have to have a mom who gets sick or just doesn’t feel well for multiple days at a time, and has less patience in these moments, I believe there’s a purpose. These little people are learning empathy. They’re learning to not judge a book by its cover. They’re learning that people can look completely normal on the outside but on the inside, they may be struggling. They’re learning we work hard on our good days and to give ourselves grace on the days we struggle.
I was allowed grace and was shown empathy by our two year old. She may not have realized that’s what she doing, but that’s what was happening. The constant needs and wants of a toddler stopped. The crying and tantrums didn’t happen. She was still. She told her Daddy ‘shhhhh!’ when he came in to check on us. I am beyond thankful for our little people. And while they’re learning these things, they’re teaching me so much more. They continue to remind me to give others grace. They remind me to show empathy towards others. They remind me that others struggle too, including them, even if it’s in a different way then me.
I ended up not getting an episode, but I was struggling. I woke up with enough time to get some food in their bellies, give the boys haircuts, and go on our way to the big boys’ Science Fair at school. 
And the hot mess mom that I am took a video of Talan and his project instead of a picture. Insert face palm. So, these are the pictures I took before bringing it into school on Wednesday.
I was so thankful to be able to attend and see how proud they were to show off their work. And real life, I’m thankful the Science Fair is also over. Lol!
March 5th is CVS (Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome) awareness day. I’ve never really recognized this day, other then it being Travis and my ‘dating anniversary.’ CVS Awareness day does nothing for me, personally. But the day I found my person despite my struggles bring on another whole slew of emotions. This year it will be 20 years. 20 years ago…when Travis had hair and I tanned too much. But also, 20 years ago, was the day I found who would stick by me on my good days and bad days and mediocre days and amazing days. The person who drove up and down Hwy 55 with his Mom to see if I had gotten into an accident because I didn’t show up at the movie theater. (This was before the days of cell phones) He didn’t know I was having one of my worst episodes at my Dads. An episode where “if I threw up one more time, we should go to the hospital.” But he stuck by me. What 16 year old boy would stick with someone like me!? I’m not sure many would. Well…maybe they would just to keep the status of ‘I’m a sophomore dating a senior.’ Ha! 
While you may think this blog is about me (which I guess it is) The purpose of the blog, is not. It’s about everyone. Everyone struggles in their own way. So here’s your friendly reminder to allow others grace, and allow yourself grace. Practice empathy. Be kind to others…and yourself. It costs absolutely nothing but can mean so much. Continue to learn from these little people who teach us so much.
I better go as I have to go bring our poor, forgotten about, middle child, a game he needed to bring to school for buddies today, that we forgot to put in his backpack. Because today, I’m struggling…and because real life, I have to keep up with my ‘Hot Mess Mom’ status.
~xoxo
Living With Intention and Giving Myself Grace 