I won't (and can't) quit

Today was another bumpy day. I think I've just hit a point in which I have spent too much time with my kids. I firmly believe the saying "Absence makes the heart grow fonder," and there has not been much absence between my kids and myself recently. Yesterday I left to pick up Ava from CCD class, leaving Jocelyn and Molly with Ben (whom they hadn't seen since Thursday). I got home after about 30 minutes out, and Ben said to Molly, "Look, Mommy's home!" The child didn't even look at me. She didn't care that I'd been gone or that I was once again sitting 10 feet from her. I've said it many times and will again, my kids aren't awful; they don't destroy things or hurt people or property. They just GET ON MY NERVES. By bathtime tonight I was just done. Ben took over soaping up so I could go in the other room just to keep from blowing up at the girls yet again. I sat by myself for about 10 minutes, trying to do all I could think of to calm down and make the anger go away. Finally, I had the epiphany: parenthood is not easy. I've never heard anyone say it is, and if those people do exist I honestly think they are deranged or gluttons for punishment. But just because it's hard, so what?? I'm always teaching my children that you don't quit just because you can't do something the first time. So I took a few deep breaths, and asked Ava and Jocelyn if we could read a few stories. We read two books, and it was quite nice. It was pleasant enough that I thought it would be fun to have a picture for tonight's entry... to which I got whines from both kids. Ah, well, you win some and you lose some. I made them take a picture anyway, because sometimes it's not about having fun, it's about being a family. And while I may need a time out myself occasionally, I really would not trade these annoying, pesky, needy, precious darlings for anything in the world. No really :)

the picture we "should take"

the picture we WANTED to take