Looking for Thank You's

Baby Cannon at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC

I remember talking to my mom on the phone after Michael and I had been married for about a year and asking a question similar to, 'I know being a mom is a thankless job.  Is it worth it?'  In my memory of her response she totally skipped the 'worth it' part because she figured the answer was so obvious and focused more on the 'thankless' part.  She told me that things may go unnoticed, but that a mother is given a million other types of thank-you's as she rears and interacts with her children.

Yesterday my baby was a demon.  We had put him to bed late the night before so when he woke up screaming I wasn't surprised.  But then he continued to scream... and scream... and scream all the way until Michael got home from work at 6:45.  I think I probably kissed Michael and gave him a side smile as I passed my little Cannon Ball into his arms, but I was mostly focused on reaching the front door.  As I drove with my music up loud, I smiled at how lucky I was to be able to have a wonderfully supportive husband that was willing to let me go out for a much needed dinner run.  I can probably count the times I have left the house to go get dinner on one hand but leaving this time was completely shameless.  I needed the car ride as much as I needed an anything-but-homecooked meal.  I drooled over the Papa John's pizza sitting on my passenger seat (does EVERYONE on the east coast like NY style pizza?!  Gross!!), then I drooled over whatever country song was pouring out of my windows, then I thought of my sweet son and husband at home and couldn't help but feel my happy heart jump around in my chest.  When I got back Cannon was still screaming but somehow Michael had found a second to do the dishes I had left piled in the sink.  It's those imperfect days that I think Heavenly Father waits for you to look for your 'thank you'.  Yesterday it was in clean dishes.  Sometimes it's His giving you an awesome last bite of dinner, making your toothpaste last one more night, or a huge gummy smile.  I'm not always the best at taking a step back and acknowledging the beauty of my life but being a mom makes that a whole lot easier.  This boy's got whatever it is.