What a dreary day before Halloween.  Which also happens to be my dad's 75th birthday!  Happy Birthday to the best Dad a girl could ask for.  Thinking of you brightens my day.

I will give you a disclaimer before I even begin that this mom is feeling a bit tired and defeated this week.  My patience is extra thin and my heart is extra heavy.  I don't like to cry so when I get the urge, I usually tell myself to knock it off.  It makes me tired and I suppose in a way, makes me feel weak.  I know that sounds kind of dumb but, I don't like to feel weak and vulnerable.  I am supposed to be the mom who has it all together.  You know the one that has the plate that never gets full, the glass that is always half full/not empty, that takes each curveball that life sends my way and smacks it out of the park.  I think we as moms sometimes expect too much out of ourselves.  I know I do.  We put on a façade to make people think we have a perfect family, a perfect home, a perfect marriage.  When honestly our children are far from perfect and sometimes they really disappoint us.  Our homes are a cluttered mess so we stuff everything into a closet and one day when you open the door, it all comes falling out.  And when we step out in public with our spouse, we put on our fake smiles and pretend like we've got it all together when really we don't.  I don't really know what point I am trying to make other than to tell myself and maybe you, if you feel the same way I do, that it is okay to not be Super Mom (or Dad).  It is okay to admit you are weak and vulnerable.  It's okay that sometimes you feel really disappointed in yourself or your loved ones but, we are not perfect and we do make mistakes.  Forgive yourself for your disappointments and forgive others for disappointing you.  Put one foot in front of the other and carry on... and don't look back.  And put a smile on your face because it looks so much better than a frown.  And that my friends, is my two cents for the day. 

Lauren and Lindsey had their 12 year old check up yesterday.  Twelve...it is such a big number for my babies.  I shared our behavior/emotional issues the girls have been having and she is referring us to a developmental pediatrician to see about some treatment options.  Not sure yet what that entails, but we do know we can't keep dealing with these outbursts without losing our minds.  I want to share something with you that I hope you take to heart.  When you are out in public and you see a family with a disruptive child and you think to yourself, "If that was my kid, they would never act like that. Why do their parents let him/her get away with that type of behavior?"  Then you give them a dirty look or make a snide comment about them,  know that that child may have a behavior disorder or a mental condition and "those" parents are doing their best to try and deal with their child.  Chances are, they are at their wit's end and would love nothing more than to have a child who acts perfectly in public.   Give them some grace and maybe a smile to encourage them.  We have been on the receiving end of the "stink eye" in church and the glares in public before so this is coming straight from the heart of one of "those" parents.  Maybe your smile and encouraging words or actions might give that mom or dad what they need to make it through the day.   Let us be encouraging and not discouraging. 

Thanks for listening to my ramblings.  I in no way mean to offend anyone with my two cents, which turned into four.  I have always been a strong believer in building people up instead of tearing them down.  Every single one of us has so much to offer and life is too short my friends.  Be an encouragement to those who God has placed in your path.  They are there for a reason.