A new year...

2 Cor 5:17 - The old has passed away, behold all things become new.

I love New Year's Eve. It feels so much like a chance to wipe the slate clean. And boy, does my slate need cleaning sometimes.

If I've learned anything this year, it is that I'm not NEARLY as wonderful as I think I am. I have so many more issues that I ever knew about. Anger. Control. Power. Pride. The list could go on for ages, but for the sake of my sanity when I go back and read this later, I will stop now.

I often take my children places and complete strangers tell me how wonderfully they are behaving.

You must be doing something right.

How in the world are you so blessed to have such wonderful angels?

You must be a great mom...

So on and so forth... I appreciate it. I really do. But then I go home and cry.... if I even make it home.

Not too long ago, this happened at Cracker Barrel. Prince Charming and I took all 5 of our little crazies out for breakfast. About half way through our meal, an older gentleman and his bride walked by us and he whispered a sweet remark about how pleasant it was to see so many kids behaving so well in public. I thanked him very much and assured him it was only by the grace of God.

Toward the end of our meal, a lady from a nearby table headed our direction. She also commented about how wonderful they had been. I thanked her politely and continued to get my kids ready to head back out to the car. Charming took several and left two with me. I sat quietly for a few moments, waiting for the last two to finish their last minute bites and put on their coats. As I sat, I was overcome with the need to tell this woman that she was crazy. My kids are not well behaved, they are faking it! But I knew it wasn't true. They are well behaved. I have amazing kids.

Ma'am, thank you for your kind words about my children. I really needed to hear that today. I've been yelling at them for one thing after another all morning.

So far that morning, Cuddlebug had broken 3 dishes, Muscles had been in trouble several times, Protector and Princess were being good... generally, and Baby Girl was, well, a baby. I was so frustrated with them that we almost didn't go out to eat. I'm glad we did though. It was a reminder that we all have our problems, but to most people, we look pretty nice. Perhaps we're not quite as dysfunctional as I think we are.