Guys, I am a person who likes to have a plan, follow a plan, and am pretty happy when that plan works out. I like to have my “ducks in a row”. Lately, with a 3 year old and a 1 and ½ year old, I’m feeling pretty happy if I have all my ducks in the same pond.

Just this week, I’ve dropped a whole gallon of milk on the sidewalk that broke and went everywhere. I’ve done a few loads of laundry that are now sitting clean and unfolded in my laundry baskets, where they will likely remain for another week or 2. I’ve picked up half a bag of goldfish crackers off the floor because the bag ripped while I was carrying it back to the pantry. (No lie, I can’t make this stuff up) I’ve gone to the grocery store at least once a day (in addition to picking up my online grocery order) and still forgotten the ranch dressing every single time. And now as I type this I am sitting on the floor in the hallway between my room and my boys room, where Roy is sleeping in my bed with Ken, and Dean is back asleep in Roy’s bed instead of his crib, and I need to leave for work in less than an hour.

But can I tell you what else has happened this week? I just snuggled my 18 month old back to sleep (which hardly happens anymore). My 3 year old fell asleep in our bed at 4 this morning because he wanted to be in mommy and daddy’s bed. I’ve played hot wheels, watched cars, gone for a walk/bike ride and had dinner with my family almost every night this week. I got to laugh as both my boys picked up dumbbells in the living room, excited to show me their muscles. I got to do push ups with Roy on my back (only a few) and step-ups while getting a big hug from Dean. I got to take Roy to the “ducky wash” car wash twice this week. I got all of this, and the week isn’t even over yet.

It is so easy when we are “fighting the good fight” of motherhood to get caught up in what we “should” be doing or what we wish we could do that we forget to look around at what we have right in front of us. It’s hard when we have to make a shift from someone who has it all together to someone just trying to hold anything together.  But the best thing to remember is that we don’t have to have it all together. Our children aren’t looking for the “pinterest perfect” mom. They are looking for THEIR mom, and that is you!

So, do me a favor. Next time the milk spills on the floor, or the laundry goes unfolded for yet another day, take just a minute and look at what is all around. Go play in the ground with your kids. Take everyone for a walk outside, snuggle together in bed for an extra 10 minutes. We only have these Littles in our home for a short time. Let’s not be so concerned about being perfect, that we miss out on all the messy chaos that comes with this wonderful thing called motherhood.