Yikes!

Sometimes, it's April. You're having allergies. You're a little stressed about finances and taxes. You're trying to get loose ends tied up so you can take a two week trip without your kids. Et cetera. Then all of a sudden, it's June and you haven't blogged in two months. Yikes!
That's what feels like happened, anyway.
Much has happened in that two month accidental hiatus, but I'm not going to cover all of it. I'm more interested in writing about what I'm grateful for today and pretending that I never skipped two months worth of posts.
Today, I am grateful to be reunited with my kids. Landon and I took a two week trip to the UK, which was super awesome and really fun. We had a blast traveling all over the country and seeing everything we could fit in (which ended up being a lot), but I missed my kids hard. I ached for my kids. I might have cried once or twice 'cause I missed those two people so much.
One day, in London, when I happened to be sitting near an adorable family with kids the same age as my kids, I was feeling real lonesome for my children. Landon, who is generally a very sensitive and sympathetic person, was feeling a little irritated with my inability to appreciate what is happening in the here and now. He told me that while I was missing my kids at that moment, it would only be a couple of weeks until I would again be feeling ready for a break from them. It was a good way to remind me that I was in LONDON, for pete's sake, so snap out of it and have a good time!
I am happy to report that Landon's predictions of frustration with my kids hasn't happened yet. I haven't felt annoyed when Mason has come into our room at 6 am for snugs and conversation. I haven't felt overwhelmed with frustration with Marissa's refusal to lie still so I can change her diaper. I'm still just so pleased to have them near me again that dealing with the day to day annoyances of raising children seems easy and totally manageable. Being able to kiss on them and snug them when ever I feel like it makes all the difficult stuff totally worthwhile and seems more than fair compensation for my efforts. Having Marissa declare, "I love you Mama!" or Mason snuggle in close reminds me how incredibly lucky I am to be their mom, and missing those simple moments for 12 days was an excellent way to gain perspective on how to deal with the frustrating moments that inevitably will come.














After all, who can stay frustrated with someone as adorable and wonderful as these two cuties??

I love you Mason and Marissa! I'm so glad I get to be your mom!!