my children keep me humble

Hallie (4) has been begging me for days to make cookies with frosting and sprinkles. I have been putting her off. There are many reasons why I didn't want to make these cookies, but today, especially, I DID NOT want to make them. But fed up with the whining, I reluctantly and rather unkindly gave in. Imagine me tearing around the kitchen, throwing stuff out, trying to get through the task quickly. The idea is to make it known how unhappy I am to be doing this small act. She is oblivious to my feelings. I am wasting away a time that could be joyful with my daughter.

As I spend this time in the kitchen with her and realize she is happy to be with me, no matter how mean I am, my spirit begins to soften. I am making her day...her week, actually. She is not even asking me to make frosting, the part I loathe. She is happy to use some very old store bought tubed writing frosting. I tell her I think it tastes yucky. She says, it's okay. She begins putting it on a cookies. She tastes it and decides it does taste yucky. Here is my full turning point. I ask her if she would like me to make some pink frosting. I am making a simpler frosting, not my best work. She is sitting slightly behind and to the side of me watching. She leans in and quietly and sweetly says, "Mom, you are the best mom ever." And my heart is melted and crushed at the same time. Because I am the worst mom ever.

So today, my workout that I didn't get in this morning due to a sleepless night will have to wait, my bathroom cleaning will have to wait, the doorknobs I was planning to install downstairs will have to wait, the 3 Bible study homeworks I am behind and must do for tomorrow will have to wait. I am going to play with my girl.