Day Made

I've posted time after time about struggling. Tonight, the house was a wreck, we were running around like usual. Homework, chores, baths, cleaning, laundry, lunches, reading, bed. We try really hard to make bedtime a priority. Each kid usually gets a chapter read to them (In Bella's case) or a book (for the littler guys). I say usually because sometimes it just doesn't happen.

I climbed in bed with Bella to read to her. I finished her chapter and we were talking. We were laughing and snuggling. She said "You are the best mom ever". I told her how much that meant to me and how that was the very best part of my day. I told her how I really appreciated her sharing that she felt that way with me. "You really are the best mom ever". My heart was full. My mind was calm.

These are always the moments that I'll never regret spending. In the race of madness, it's just me and her... or me and one of the boys. It's one on one time that's so precious, so rare and so needed. These little reading moments add up. Tonight they added up to a really big moment for me.

There are times, so, so many times, that I wonder if I'm giving my kids the best I can. The balance eludes me most days... almost all days. Tonight, the balance was tough, as usual. It was a day that I wanted to throw in the towel and crawl in the bed. I didn't. I finished strong... stronger than I started. Thanks to my girl for being my bucket filler. For making me realize that even though sometimes I fail, I get back up stronger, I try harder. I'm glad she's mine. I'm glad I'm hers.

Be a bucket filler

Tonight, Grayson and I were snuggling in bed talking about his day. This kid kills me sometimes. Tonight was one of those nights. I got in his bed and as I was getting settled he said "How was your day mom?" He's genuinely concerned about how my day went, he listens and asks questions. It's the sweetest. It reminds me to sit, to be still and to really be in the moment with him. He's been melting my heart into a puddle since he was born with his big eyes starring up at me.

I was telling him a story about how a patient told one of my student's that she was glad she took care of her. I told him how it made me so happy because it made my student know how appreciated she was, it made her so happy. He said "yeah that kid was filling her bucket".

Confused I said "what?"

"Mom, she's a bucket filler, the patient because she filled your student's bucket with happiness and made her feel good".

"Oh yeah, she was totally a bucket filler and my student's bucket was getting filled up!"

He went on to talk about how you can fill people's bucket. He told me how his teacher fills his bucket, how friend's fill his bucket and how he fills up people's bucket. It was the sweetest, most genuine conversation with my super sweet hearted boy.

I asked "How do I fill your bucket up?"

"Mom you just love me, that's all!" with the most sincere smile on his face.

That's right my sweet boy, I do love you. I just love you so... someday you'll fully understand the depth of my love.