Love measured in frogs...

   Sometimes as a mom you have to make tough decisions that don't always make the troops happy. It can start to feel like you against the kids. There are times when I think my kids believe my entire goal in life is to destroy their happiness. So, when days like yesterday come along it makes my heart swell right out of my chest!
   It was a day like any other. I was juggling the usual hats: cook, wardrobe consultant, motivational speaker, and keeper of the time. It involves a lot of yelling from room to room. "Zach did you put that note in your bag for your coach?" "Emily, are you watching TV?!!! Turn it off and get busy. We are leaving in 15 minutes!" "Did you brush your teeth?" "Where is your lunch box? I can't pack it for today if you don't bring it to me." "Go change, you are not wearing that!" "We're late let's go!!"
   I try to make the drive to school a little more relaxed. Light conversation, a joke to break the tension from the stress of getting out the door on time, and last but not least a prayer to start their day off right. I tell them I love them and to have a good day and sometimes try to give my oldest, Zach a kiss just to get a laugh out of him because I know he will jump like lighting is coming his way and look at me like I've lost my mind.
    Last night at bedtime I was giving Emily (my preteen) a hug and kiss goodnight. She looks up at me shyly and says, "Mom, today in class we were talking about heroes. The teacher went around the room asking who our hero was. I said you were." She said it was because I'm so nice!! Could someone get me a tissue cause I'm gonna lose it!!! I hugged her and told her how sweet she was and how much that meant to me. Then I floated right out of her room on cloud nine!
   I went to my youngest sons room next to get him in bed. He was laying there talking his little head off. Then he stops and looks up at me really seriously and says, "Momma, if someone kidnapped you and said I had to eat a frog to get you back...I would eat the frog. I would do that because I love you so much!" I thought I would melt into a puddle right there! What was going on in this house tonight?!
   So, motherly inadequacies aside,  I guess I'm doing something right after all. If I don't get anything else right with this parenting It's good to know that I at least make them feel loved to pieces.
   And apparently I'm a hero worth eating a frog for!  I feel pretty loved right now.