Love Hurts

Today, we found ourselves in AZ, with beautiful Bill and her family.  Our road trip began directly after my sister's baptism and ended just before midnight.  I was ready for hell on wheels, but the kids were surprisingly splendid.  We actually enjoyed ourselves--especially at Denny's.  Their $2, $4, $6, $8 menu is awesome (for a poor family that needs a break from the road).  Atrain played with his car all along the corner bench while Jdog giggled, snarfed pancakes, and tried to eat crayons.  After the sun set, they slept the rest of the way to Bill's home.

Her home is beautiful.  She and her family is even more so.  They invited us (and the madness that comes with a couple more young boys) in with open arms.  We ate her yummy food, stole her first born's room, broke up many arguments between the boys over many toys that Atrain commandeered from cousin Mster.  Atrain actually bit him once--so hard.  He has never been a biter.  That was a bad moment for both of us.  Atrain went right to bed...with me...with tears...with (I hope) a sorrowful heart.  When I came down afterwards, so embarrassed and teary over what my son had done, Bil just hugged me and reassured me that her child had done the same thing one week ago.  It was slightly reassuring, but it still doesn't make motherhood any easier.

It would be so much easier to discipline if I wasn't so emotionally involved.  It would be so much easier if I didn't care so much about my boy and his choices.  But I am.  And I do.  So much that it hurts.  Such is the call of a mother: no pain, no gain.