I’ve been through the ringer the last few days and I’ve reached the point where my family and myself have to come first. My phone has given me it’s two-week-notice and the kids have decided that nobody is allowed to talk to Mommy unless they can interject their two cents. The girls were my first clue. I made dinner with a couple of tiny arms wrapped around my leg. I looked up while in the bathroom and saw three curious shadows under the door. I took the trash out and heard the screen door open three times behind me and I turned to find three little hands wanting to be held. I realized that in the last few days I hadn’t once answered “Yes.” to the question “Can you play with us?”

So, we made a mess with craft paper and glue and glitter. We pulled out the rest of the toys Rhea got for her birthday (which were still in their boxes). We read all the books my tongue could handle. (Fox in Socks isn’t exactly parent friendly.) And I finally ended up with a bundle of little squealing girlies, wriggling with tiny hands and feet in the air fending off the tickle monster.

Mommy was back.

I believe that children are the best mirror. They show us what we look like to the world. They make us look at things from a different perspective and in a simpler way. They reflect our strengths and at the same time, repeat every word we shouldn’t have said. I thought I’d blown it this last week until I noticed my oldest playing Mommy. She was running all over the house rocking babies to sleep, changing them, feeding them and repeating “It’s okay. Mommy’s here.” With tears in my eyes I hugged them all and told each one of them how important they were to  me. And Rhea told me, as she had for the zillionth time, “I love you all the way to the moon.”

Changing my own perspective has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. The funny thing is, life has a way of changing your point of view when you are feeling broken and like you don’t have anything to contribute. All you have to do is remember to breathe and be open enough to allow it change you.