Dear Warstler Mom of Three,

Please forgive me. I, once upon a time, had certain thoughts and ideas. This person I was had no children. I would get up in the morning, read part of a novel, have a leisurely breakfast on the couch and got ready.............ALL BY MYSELF. I would set the table for dinner and have the place pretty clean before I left to start my day..........ALL BY MYSELF. When I got to work, I would prepare for the day, read a bit of my Bible and (in the interest of being truthful) drink an ice cold Pepsi.........ALL BY MYSELF. I would stand at the door of my classroom and greet my little darlings as the came in and I would find myself glancing at the moms dropping off their children, the mom that I hoped to become some day soon.

I would watch them come in with their children - other little ones in tow. I would often wonder at this one mom - thin, nice-looking, kind eyes........you know she is a good mom and you would want her children in school. But I can still see her - her oldest in kindergarten and two other ones in hand - she would wear old t-shirts, sweatpants and have her hair pulled up in a messy ponytail or bun (you may recognize this hairdo because it is the one I sport on an almost daily basis). I would stand at my classroom door and swear that would never be me and why on earth wouldn't this cute young mom take the time to comb her hair and put on something a bit more flattering?

HAAAAHAAAAAAHAAAAAHAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!! That's God and the rest of the world laughing (well, the rest of the world that has kids or a clue as to what it takes to get yourself and three young kids out of the house by 9am every day).

Now, it seems, the shoe is on the other foot. For this nice-looking mom now has three somewhat independent children and she is working - looking cute and put together each day. While it is I who am struggling to get these three out the door each day - fed, clothed and one ready for school. What's that you say? Ok, ok - so clothed may be a stretch but there is underwear and covering on each one - not always is the hair brushed, yes, Francesca has left quite a few mornings with marker all over her face or arms (her version of makeup) and well, let's just say it is a good thing that I am a natural beauty and don't have to rely on hair, makeup, style or clothing.......... :)

I was going to post a picture of myself from that before time but apparently we didn't exist until we had children because I wasn't able to find any. Well, except for ones where I was pregnant with Sofia but those wouldn't work. It just would not have proved my point very well - I was tired looking, my face was thicker and I am way cuter now........

I guess a healthy dose of good self-esteem and delusion will help me through these not so put together years of young children.