Wow, I don't know where this came from.

I desperately want to be that mom whose kids hair is always in place, with beautiful bows, put together outfits, and they're standing sweetly by, while their mother is chatting with a friend. Meanwhile, my husband is at work making thousands of dollars a day just so I can go spend it on luxurious items.

Rene' won't keep a bow/barrette in to save her life, Paige is into dressing herself and well, I don't think I have to explain to you how that goes. She even tells me where she wants the unmatching bow on her head. And Zak - he is never standing by waiting patiently. He is in the middle of the action with a loud voice and a body that can't stand still. And when I'm on the phone trying to chat with a friend, that's when they either need my attention, fight, cry, or need to go potty. And the Target dollar spot is my place to splurge my husband's very hard earned money.

Today I decided I'm going to quit trying to be that mom. That mom who doesn't really exist. Today, I'm thankful that Zak is the life of the party and is very loud, and loves having fun. I'm thankful that Paige is learning to make her own decisions and delights in her mismatched clothes, shoes, and hair. And that Rene' is probably going to be a tomboy, as I was. Life can be fun with chaos. I need to relish it because trying to be someone I'm not, or make my kids be someone they're not, is an insult to the One who made us. I'm going to love the chaos of Christmas morning with 3 excited kids, I'm going to love the chaos of family dinners and family game nights. I'm going to video Zak singing his songs he learned from school, take pictures of Paige's fashion choices and Rene' pulling everything out of the pantry. And I'm going to thank my husband for working so hard for us and try to spend his money much wiser.

Life is good.