If You Ask Me What Brings Me Joy

The joys of being a parent.

Much like a teeter totter, this venture weighs in the balance of so many different factors. Some easy, some not so easy.

Some days you are on the up end of the teeter totter, feeling invincible, the next, dropped on your ass, in the dirt. Still learning, nonetheless.

I was lucky to have never experienced morning sickness, or the terrible two's, I LOVED being pregnant and being a mom. My little ones were sweet, beautiful and had me wrapped around their tiny fingers.

They didn't behave like the other mom's kids, screaming and throwing fits, talking back and slamming doors. No, my little angels had a plan. They lulled me into a false sense of security, and saved it all for that special number "13" - girls...(smh)

I am allowed to say that for two reasons, first I am their mom, and secondly, I am a girl. (Well, tomboy)

It's like saying, man, working with women in an office is awful! Omgsh, sometimes we are moblike and vicious.

I like to think, because I have a twin brother, I am immune to the petty crap we women pull, but, if you ask the right people, you may get a different story.

Come on ladies, you know I'm right. <3 (guys, you are turds too, you know it, so stop smirking.)

Another huge factor of finding the joy in parenting is in simpler matters, well, should be simpler.

For instance:

Have you eaten? Have they eaten? Did any of you sleep or poop? What kind of hair day are you having collectively? Yes, it makes a BIG difference on moods and finding that illusive, but insatiable joy.

Beyond the day-to-day survival, there are the first times for everything, and I don't mean just for them. For every first they had, I've had three.

Here is the break-down to my math:

I went through it when I was a girl. Having two girls, each time they went through something for the first time, I was doing it again, for the first time with them and as a mom, and the first time through their eyes and emotions and temperament...yeah, mom-math.

Confused yet? That's ok. I promise it is so worth it.

(I am in no means saying dads don't do this too, this is just my account, as a woman, mom, girl. Stick with me guys)

All of this to say, I am beyond blessed to have two adult children who I still have a very close relationship with.

In March, they took me to Cancun, (a Christmas gift.) We had a blast! I spent hours watching them, talking with them and laughing. What a special thing it is to connect with your adult children.

I still love being their mom. Only now, they teach me new things every day. They help me look past what I think, and they respect where our differences meet.

They are smart and kind and talented beyond words.

I am so proud of the people they are, and the lives they touch, continuing on their journey.

A path of firsts.