When There Is Not Enough of Me!

I have been a little overwhelmed lately with life, but as usual I bring this on myself! I have been taking my first college class the last couple weeks (since the last one I took in 2004!) and while I love learning and love class, I am trying to figure out how to add yet another spinning plate to the balancing act. I don't ever want the kids to not get enough of me because of my pursuit to finish my degree so I can finally be a teacher. So I have to get up really early, or go to bed really late, or not have a perfectly kept house. These things are ok with me. I'm just adjusting! Sometimes I crack up at the responsibilities that over the last few years have just managed to make themselves scream at me, "feel sorry for yourself for having to do all this!" and some days I do. But other days, like today, after waking up at 5:30 in the morning to try to work out, take a shower and squeeze in some homework before the morning chaos began, I remind myself what a joy my life is. These precious little ones running around the house, making noise and silly games out of everything. There is nothing like it. I am blessed to sit under a roof, and have the opportunity to finish school. These are privileges, not rights. I am so blessed. There won't always be socks and cheerios on the floor, but for now I am choosing JOY in the moment. I stopped everything this morning to scoop Aubrey up in my arms, sing her a song, and read her a book. By the last page I think my eyeballs were literally hanging out of my head, but I was so glad I enjoyed that moment with her. She walked away and said, "mom, I love you TOO much" and then spouted off some random quote about being a super-hero that she heard on super-readers earlier this morning. In between changing a poopy diaper, making the kids breakfast, remembering that I needed coffee, ironing their clothes for school picture day, answering the phone only to tell the telemarketer now is really not a good time!, remembering that I never finished my coffee and oh yeah I never ate breakfast either, making my breakfast, getting school papers ready to go, lunch made, shoes on everyone, and out the door....I realized something. This IS MY LIFE right now as GOD himself has given it to me and I CHOOSE JOY. Where there is not enough of me, there IS enough of Him. I don't know what I'm doing. Half the time I fail. As I write this, there are peas on the kitchen floor from last night's dinner. Oh well, I am choosing to be full of joy instead of mad at those peas.