Explaining the Chaos

I get asked all the time "how I do it." And it amazes me that people think I am orchestrating this whole circus-on-wheels with any amount of aplomb or skill. I thought my blog would have emphasized this point- there is a stampeding pack of elephants running around this house- AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO STOP THEM!

Although I may have scared a father of two sweet boys yesterday in nursery. Two of my three kids were screaming (one more than the other- Little Man, you frustrate me sometimes!) and sohelpme we were all going to sing Old MacDonald Had a Farm. It was going to HAPPEN, group of small children. All the other kids were totally with the program. But regardless of being held, the baby was wailing, and Squirt was screaming that she didn't wish to sing at that moment. I ignored them both and forged ahead, singing at the top of my lungs over all the noise, until class was over and the parents came to pickup their (non-screamy) children.

Yet I digress.

It is hard to field questions of "how I do it" or even accept the compliments of kind people on the ramshackle job I am managing. As I was talking to a friend on Facebook this morning, the perfect words slipped out onto my keyboard and I felt like I should share them. (because I am just so darned eloquent sometimes!)

I don't know how it happens, but every night I put the kids down to sleep; and realize we've all made it through another day. It's all just a string of little miracles.

Mind you, this comes from the person who has also commented that her kids are "oftentimes cuter in retrospect." Stellar parenting right there. And not true... most days. It's mostly just a mucky blur of whining, mind numbing routines, disciplining, pacifying, the painfully mundane, and bouts of eagerly checking the clock.

But there are small snippets of time when it all slows down, I grab the kids and snap a picture. 

And then let each girl take a picture of her sister and me. 

The results of which always make me smile:

I don't know how it all comes together. There was one day last week when I had all three kids dressed and looking sharp. Then I too got a shower, did the hair, and wore clothes that did not imply I just ran out of the gym! It was a picture worthy moment. (but we were running late for a doc appointment and no picture was procured)

Somehow, it all just seems to happen. And I am lucky enough to be a sideshow in this willy nilly, extremely loud, and sometimes overwhelming circus.