well worth the trade

You know when they tell you kids are expensive? Believe them! And when they tell you kids are messy! Believe them! And when they tell you kids loud! Believe them! And when they tell you kids are exhausting! Believe them!
But even more importantly, BELIEVE THEM  when they tell you kids are worth it!! Having kids has been a life altering journey, a journey with ups and downs, ins and outs, do-overs and never do agains, but its all been so worth it! My kids are my world. I cant even image what our world was  like before our gaggle of kids were born.  I can hardly remember what it was like walk across the kitchen floor barefoot without stepping on something crunchy, wet or sticky. And who can remember a time driving the car without flailing my arm aimless in the air behind me as I try to connect with just one kid, as they fight with one another and I "try" to get us all safely to football practice.  And the last time I used the bathroom without someone nearly breaking the door off the hinges to get in.... yep those days are long gone. I traded in the carefree days for the "careful" days... careful not to go completely insane or careful not to fly off the deep end kind of days. But you know what, I wouldn't go back for anything in the world- not even on the worst day!
I never look at my life and feel like I gave anything up to have a family. I may have traded in a few perks from the childless life for some not so favorable ones from time to time but the trade has been so well worth it!!  When you have children, you obtain a little piece of heaven on earth.  You finally can put in to perspective what life is all about.  For me, motherhood is what life is all about.  Its about raising 5 young human beings into 5 well rounded, wonderful, loving, successful, happy, thoughtful men.  Its about preparing my boys to be the best husbands, fathers, students, missionaries, friends, neighbors that I possibly can.  Its no longer just about me or the life I can create for myself.  Its about the life I can create for my family- for my children. With parenthood come more responsibility than I ever could have imagined... some days when I really grasp the duties that have been bestowed upon me as a mother... I am blow away.  Yes, my boys all have very different and unique personalities and each have characteristics all their own, but its baffles me to think that I have been entrusted with job of modeling and shaping and creating how these boys may turn out.  So, at the end of the day, I ask myself.... "How have I bettered my children? Has my influences on them been positive or negative? Have I done all I can to nurture, care and show love to my boys?  Have I lived up to my expectations as a mother?"