cherish the "little joys."

Today was hard. Honestly, I haven't had days yet where I just thought, "wow, this mom thing is really really tough." But today, being a mom was hard. Maybe it's because I'm sick...maybe it's because we were super busy...or maybe it's because I'm completely and utterly exhausted...between a rough c-section, birthdays, weddings, baby showers, Easter, Mother's Day, t-ball, dance, art, and gymnastics, I'm more than worn out. 

But in the midst of all of the chaos...in the middle of a day where nothing has gone right...God gives us special moments. I had a friend in high school who called them "little joys." Like when you look in your rear view mirror to see your daughter dramatically singing Frozen songs with hand motions and all...or when you're nursing your baby and he looks at you with the biggest milk grin and coos at you...or when your oldest grabs your hand and says, "I really love you, mama." 

Childhood is fleeting, but when you notice a "little joy", even on the craziest of days, time seems to stand still. Soak it up. Notice every detail. Because those are the things we remember. They are imprinted in our hearts and will live with us forever...so when your daughter is getting married, you still have that memory of her singing princess songs at the top of her lungs. You'll even remember the way her curls hang in her face. Or when your son goes off to college, you can still feel him grabbing your hand and saying I love you as a toothless 6 year-old little boy. 

They grow up fast. And no mom can keep her babies little any longer than the next mom. So learn focus on those "little joys"...even during the times when life gets crazy, busy, hectic, and disorganized. Those moments are blessings. They fill our hearts with happiness and remind us of our greater purpose. 

It's comforting to a mama, especially on hard days, to go sleep at night and know that there was at least one special moment that you savored and will remember. Because little ones grow up, but "little joys" last a lifetime. 

#thankyouJesusformybabies