Bless Your Heart!

Winter has collided with spring this past week with a series of blustery, cold days. Days that make you want to be inside, even though you'd so much rather go out. Days like this, when I have errands to run, I usually scoop up my girls, instruct Jacob to tuck his hand in my jeans pocket and we run inside the store together. Literally, my hands are full.

If you would have been shopping at my grocery store this past Monday, you would have seen exactly that as we ran inside before we could get too cold. Cruising the aisles with my crew, we passed the same older lady several times. She always smiled when she saw us. I can imagine why, we are a barely contained whirlwind wherever we go. And Kaylen was singing- loudly- up and down each aisle. I shushed her, but she just wouldn't be shushed. 

Leaving the store, the same lady was right behind us and she saw me gather my armful of baby girls and my sweet boy and she said, "Bless your heart!" I turned to look at her, and we shared a smile. She had that hungry look in her eyes, that look that tells me she remembers- and misses- the spectacle that was me today and her only yesterday. 

Bless my heart. 

It does bless my heart that God chose me to be the mother to these three children. Hand picked me for the job because somehow, I'm just the mom they need. Some way, all our quirks work together to make us the whirlwind little family we are, all moving at the same time, humming all day, loving to read books and loving to play. 

It does bless my heart that while there are times I wish they could all just stop needing something from me for one single minute, I am so glad that they do. I love being the center of their little world. I love, next to their daddy, being the most important person in their life. It's a spotlight with a brief but wonderful shine. I love to bask in that glow. 

It does bless my heart that I am trusted with this most important job. This task above all tasks. Raising children. Such a responsibility, such a job! And one that I have to remind myself when Kaylen poops in her panties...again...or when Jacob teases Kaylen until we all scream...is the greatest job on earth. A job that many want, but not all can have. 

Bless my heart? Yes. In so many ways.