McKay is One!

We survived!  It was touch and go at times.  But, we survived.  A whole year.  During challenging times I always told myself, “Just get through the first year and then things will be more manageable.”  And here we sit.  I’m not sure things are any more manageable yet but I have false hope that things will be easier this fall.  I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t been a hard year.  It’s been a great year, but it’s been tiring and trying.

Some days I look around and think I have nothing to show for all my work.  The toys are pulled out quicker than I can put them away, dishes dirty before they’re even dry, and mud inevitably gets tracked in just minutes after I mop.  It can be frustrating.  Yesterday I thought we would have a fun baking session together. It ended with cracked eggs on the floor, broken glass, and crying kids.  Those moments are frustrating, too.  Kids fuss and misbehave no matter how hard I try to keep them happy and well-behaved.  Frustrating!

But, with a different perspective, I have so much to show for all my hard work.  We have three thriving, crazy children.  They are the fruits of my work.  Not the gold start I think I’ve earned on the days I’ve miraculously been able to get the house clean, a nice dinner prepared, a blog post done, and a shower taken.  Those are probably the days I have failed the most because I’ve been ignoring or trying to distract the kids so I can do what I want to do.  Most days the dinners are simple, my hair is in a ponytail, there are fingerprints on the glass, and toys on the floor.  Oh well.  What’s hard is when I put everything aside to spend quality time interacting with the kids only to feel like they’re fussy, ungrateful, and disobedient.  But at least they know they’re loved.  Sometimes I think we love them too much and give them too much attention.  I hope in the end the love will make up for all the errors we’re making along the way.  I hope that everything I’m telling them will sink in one day.  I hope they’ll remember my smiles and hugs and not the moments I lose my patience.  Likewise, I hope I’ll remember the smiles, cuddling, and laughter instead of the crying, complaining, exhaustion and messes.

So, cheers so surviving the year!  And here’s to hoping for another good one.

Would you like to walk down McKay Memory Lane with me?  Life is such a miracle.