You ARE A Good Mom


See this photo of me? I love it, because it's proof that I can be a good mom sometimes. And there are days when I need concrete, solid proof--because a lot of the time the evidence points in the other direction.

The mountain of laundry that I willingly pass by every time I see the laundry room.
The fact that I haven't cooked a real dinner in 4 days.
The complaining from children that I am supposed to be raising with good attitudes.
The fact that school starts in a week and I haven't even rounded up school supply lists, let alone supplies.
The amount of TV that's happening here just to get me through the end of summer vacation.

All those plus more. Much more. Trust me.

So that photo? Taken by my friend Tesi when I was in Seattle and I was having a little face time with my kids. Don't I look delighted to speak to them? I know, right? It's right there in the photo. Joy and delight and happiness and giggles and love. It's so good to see, because I think we beat ourselves up way too much on a daily basis--I beat myself up on a daily basis--only remembering the negative. Wouldn't it be wonderful to hire a photographer to follow you around for a few days to capture a similar expression on your face? Cause you make that delighted face. You do! Maybe when your sleepy kiddo just rounds the corner into the kitchen while you're having your morning coffee, or when they make it down the slide at the park and look to you for approval, or even when you're just playing a board game and yukking it up together. If someone captured your face of pure delight over your kids, you could tuck that photo in your pocket and slip it out whenever you feel discouraged or less-than. Look at the proof in your eyes and smile that you are 100% in love with being a mom.

Because we are. We just need a reminder once in a while.