Quiet Drive

My children are absolutely perfect and never make any mistakes.  They never frustrate me to the point of insanity.  They are always asking for ways to help and make my life easier.  Clean rooms, obedient behavior, there are rainbows sprouting from every glistening light bulb in our house.
 My life is perfect.
This is the mantra I was spouting as I put myself in time out today.  (Although I do admit that I prefer to have these conversations with an accent, today I chose Irish.)

Parenting is the hardest thing I have ever done.  From the day I realized I was pregnant I was suddenly granted a myriad of complex emotions and no guide on how to combat them.  I am constantly being pushed to my limit in good ways and bad.  I have never felt more joy, disappointment, love, and frustration in my entire life than in the past 15 years.

My family has recently joined digital forces in the form of the iPhone app, "Little Alchemist" that simply combines two elements to create a new one.  For example Earth + air = dust.  Earth + fire = lava.  Mud+fire=brick,  =wall, =house, =building, =city, =sea, =boat, =pirate... anyway...  Some elements are created with random items such as Human and energy = wizard, or wood and fabric = tent.  This reminds me of parenting.  How I find myself with two elements such as tired + stressed and I somehow get witch, or compliant + energetic = wetting my pants on the tramp.  There are so many elements involved in raising a family that are unpredictable and obscure, yet strangely satisfying and fulfilling.   Especially at this time in my life where I am working full time, going to school full time, have an active calling in YW, kids that are in soccer, swimming, parkour, guitar, ukulele, piano, and a husband who is gone for two complete days every week.  So when I have a combination of elements such as misbehaving children+ husband at work +++ it is no wonder that my outcome ends up being a silent ride up Butterfield canyon looking at beautiful fall leaves, wild turkeys, and baby deer.

Really,
My life is perfect.

Mostly.