Let me give a run down of how most my days go...

Bright and early, the twins are wide awake. My days normally start somewhere around 6:30am, 7am means I got to sleep in late. Normally they demand their breakfast be instant, and most mornings I have something prepared from the night before just for that. Some mornings, I do not. So I dig out a tube of those baby perfect fruit puffs. Animal crackers. Cookies. Anything I can get my hands on that they'll chew away at until breakfast is done.

While making one breakfast for them, the 4 year old is running around screaming like a horse (this is what she claims, tends to sound more like a demon possessed horse to me). Once I have finished the morning's wonderful breakfast of scrabbled eggs, french toast, pancakes or whatever it may be that I actually cooked I get the 3 of them served. The 4 year old is not happy. Instead, she wants her bowl of cold cereal, and it must be the "brown squares" (aka golden grahams, generic version in this house). So I swap out her food, so she is content and eating.

While they eat, I began cleaning up the left over snacks that were tossed to the twins. Oh, and let's not forget the toys that are now strewn across the room. It amazes me how it takes 30 minutes or longer to clean it all up but less then 2 minutes to destroy it. But no worries, everyone is busy eating so I'm taking m shot at cleaning!

Between breakfast and lunch there's generally more screaming, crying, fighting, some laughing and playing and more snacking. Usually the twins take a nap mid morning. So while they nap, I do the mountain of dishes in the sink while running a load of laundry. Once that is finished the boys are up and it's lunch time. Now we repeat the breakfast routine--feed them, sort out the picky eater food, straighten up the living room, and so forth.

And on goes the day. Re-cleaning the living room, more laundry to wash, more fighting, crying, screaming, dirty dishes...etc. It's a never ending cycle. And once they are all in bed, you just go around and clean some more. If you're lucky, you can squeeze in a quick shower before passing out in bed, assuming of course all the hot water isn't gone from the many baths and loads of dishes you just did. It's a stressful day. And all day long, you count down the hours until bedtime. Yet, at the end of the night, when all the kids are tucked away in bed sleeping, I can't help but reflect back on the day and smile.

I've gained a different view on being a mom. And here's my basic rundown for you all--

Never ending dirty clothes--It means my family has clothing to wear. They have the option of wearing something different from day to day.

5 loads of dishes in one day--My family is well fed. They are never required to skip a meal because we have no food. Each dirty dish means they were able to eat a nice home cooked meal, whether it be burgers and fries, or cold sandwiches with chips. They still had the option to eat 3 solid meals that day, and had plenty of fluids to keep them hydrated and healthy.

Stepping on food in the carpet--My kids are fed enough that they do not feel the need to greedily devour every morsel available to them. It means they felt comfortable enough with the amount of food served, that they had some left over. Again, not left hungry.

Picking up toys all day long, over and over again--My kids have options when it comes to playing. They have the ability to have more then one favorite toy. It also means they are blessed to be the children they are. It means they are not required to go without imagination, or forced to grow up too fast.

Screaming/Fighting--They are healthy. Seriously, if your child can scream so loud you get a headache, it means their lungs are in working order. If they have someone to fight with, it means they are not alone (even if the fighting is with you).

Picky Eater--I will admit, I dislike having a picky eater. It makes meal time a massive chore. But at the same time, it shows we are set enough that my family has more then option. They have the chance to eat something different. Some children are lucky to have just one thing to eat. Mine are blessed with having several (and honestly too many) options to choose from.

Early Wake Up Call--I'm totally not a morning person. But try to see it this way--By waking up earlier, it means you have more time to spend with your family. It means you realize sooner that you are still alive.

Now, I have 6 children in total. I realize I only mentioned 3. This is mainly because I spend most my day with only the 3 youngest. The older 3 are gone at school, or as is with the 16 year old, in another room busy with school work. Each of them has their own thing that drives me nuts and "adds to my stress". It's all part of being a parent.

So the next time you're annoyed at that mountain of dirty dishes, try to view it a different way. Will it make you want to jump for joy every time you wash dishes? Most certainly not. It will however allow you to see just how blessed you and your family really are.