craziness of motherhood

I begin this post as my red cheeks are beginning to fade.

It's two o'clock in the afternoon, and I'm still in my pjs, hair not done, glasses still on, no makeup.

My house is equally chaotic - I mean, c'mon, three little boys live here with me and Wes. 

Couch pillows frequently become weapons (this one is one we are constantly, constantly working on), Nerf darts are strewn about, breakfast is still on the table (we are in the thick of a food war around here. The score?  parents: 1 kids: 16  I left their breakfast on the table because gosh darnit they are going on eat it if they have to starve first.  We are so sick of their picky, unwillingness to eat anything that even resembles something healthy.), the piano is in pieces all over the living room (the repairman/tuner came yesterday and ended up taking all the keys off because they had been eaten by moths.  My assignment is to clean out the inside and he'll be back next week.), it was dark because I hadn't opened the blinds yet today, and there are 7 loads of laundry on the floor, all sorted into piles.

Get the picture?

Jonah's been having a really rough go with his eye teeth and it's kept me pretty busy.  He wants to be held all the time, and even then he's still screaming a lot of the time.  He's exhausted.  I've put him down for his nap approximately 247 times today.  I finally just had to leave him there screaming because I thought someone was coming to look at our house around 3:30-4 this afternoon (it's finally listed), so I needed to get the big boys down for their nap before we had to leave.

Halfway through "One Fish, Two Fish", there was a knock at the door.  I figured it was the UPS guy and ignored it.  A few minutes later, someone opens the back door and walks in!

I was horrified.  I knew it must be a realtor.  Only a realtor would be so permissive. (Not that they're all like that, but I told our realtor to tell the people that 1:30-3:30 was off-limits and here they were at 1:25.)  Up popped the boys out of bed, Jonah really went at it, and here I was in my pjs holding a book across my front.  The realtor asked if they should come back at 3:00, and I persisted that 3:30 was better.  I hear that they'll be back around 3 or 4.  Great.  I guess naptime will be short today.

Through the thick of all of it, I just had to laugh.  Only the job coined as motherhood would be so completely crazy and different from day-to-day.  Only motherhood brings about so many constant demands and changes and prevents you from showering daily and sometimes getting dressed before 5 o'clock.  It's crazy.  It's tough.  It's unpredictable.  And that's what makes it so wonderful.

I love my little boys.  Even at their worst, they just melt my heart and my love and devotion for them and their Daddy grows something fierce from day-to-day.  The constant laughter, kisses, discovery, joy, challenges, fun, snuggles,magic, and excitement are what make life worth living.  I love and want nothing more in life than to be home with my three little angels/stinkers, and my heart just spills over with gratitude at the fact that I can.

Motherhood is one big adventure.  I just had to etch this little moment here so I would have it forever.  I never want to forget the chaos and the happiness that I'm experiencing during this time in my life.  I'm so blessed.

Now I'd better go.  I've got to get cleaning before that realtor is back!