Trust Me, We're Not All That Special

Our family gets judged. At times, it's by others in public who give me the side eye as I fireman carry Teddy away from where he wants to be or have him flop down on the ground refusing to move. Other times, though, it's by friends or family who seem to think we're super parents when, in reality, we're not.

We're just like other parents. We are excited for our children's accomplishments, whether that's AJ learning multiplication in first grade or Teddy mastering the art of stacking canned goods. (Stacking has been a really hard skill for him.) We love to hear our children laugh and giggle and take joy in their joy, whether that's AJ's hysterical laughter during Home Alone movies or Teddy's excitement to have vacuum cleaners. We get frustrated when they don't listen, like my voice somehow being in an octave that AJ magically cannot hear or Teddy completing disregarding our requests at least 75 percent of the time.

When people say how remarkable we are as parents, I appreciate the kind words but know the reality is that we get frustrated more often than we should. There are moments where my patience is completely exhausted by Teddy's determination to do exactly what he shouldn't ... lots of them, honestly. But then there are the mornings where I go into his room, roll around with him and snuggle him with kisses and laughter.

I appreciate the thought, although I don't think it's true.

Basically, we're human, which means we're nowhere near perfect. But all those prayers from our family and friends go a long way in giving us the grace to keep trying and extend my patience.