I'm a failure: A Note to Single Parents (or any parent)

A draft that I started over a year ago and got so busy I never finished it.... but I read it now remembering how much of a horrible mess I was and I think it would be nice for parents to read this (if anyone reads this at all ;-D) and be reminded that it's always a season, you'll get through it. Single parents, parents whose spouse might travel a lot, or work a lot to care for the family, or even parents who have the most strong-willed kids you often feel like you weren't cut out to be a parent.... I SEE YOU ~ I HEAR YOU ~ I FEEL YOUR CRUMPLED HEART. And I want you all to know, YOU ARE AMAZING.
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The Other Half has been gone for one week and I'm slowly crumbling to the ground. I guess I shouldn't be so dramatic...

Okay, so my amazingly compassionate and kind-hearted hubby is currently spreading Christ's love to the ends of the earth. I love how faithful he is and how he can answer God's calling at the drop of a hat. And I'm proud to be supportive of that, and very soon be right along side of him! Soon... As in when these munchkins are old enough for both of us to leave them that long. But for the time being, I am answering a call of my own to make sure my babies are taken care of while The Other Half plants the seed. But this time around, I've been nothing short of a complete failure!

Let me take a second to give a shout out to all the single parents of the world... I NEED you to know how much I applaud you. I wholeheartedly and genuinely commend you for all of your strength, courage, patience and motivation. I work full time and have two adorable munchkins that I love dearly and I would give the world to them if I could. I live my life walking an extremely tight line trying to balance work and home (also church but that's one place I never feel like a failure), and there is absolutely no way to do that without the support of my Other Half.
No matter how much families and parents support each other, I think some of us have always had this delusional picture in our minds of a perfect family sitting quietly at the dinner table, engaged in loving and nurturing conversation with the kids being respectful and eating all of their fully balanced and nutritious meal, politely asking if they can be excused so they can go get ready for bedtime, unprompted.
You know what dinner time looks like in my house? Animal House. No really, the movie Animal House where half naked kids are dancing on top of tables and couches, chugging apple juice as they drunkenly trip over random shoes, toys and dogs on the ground and slam their heads into the side of the coffee table. Oh yeah, we can laugh right now but when I'm in the midst of it trying to get them to just simply put their pajama bottoms on, I turn into some crazy beast, screaming and yelling.
It's so much more raw and chaotic and HARD than that picture in my mind. But that is reality... and it's beautiful, and raw and chaotic and hard... just like the real world.
BUT... (and this is one big but), you know the one thing that I can control with my family and kids that the world can't always provide? Love. Unconditional, overpowering, unifying, healing Love.

Let's review before this gets too long: As a parent.... I'm a failure; I need my hubby; my home is Animal House; LOVE CAN PREVAIL.
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This is so very much still true a year and a half later.

FYI, for those of you who have ever read this blog, stay tuned.... It's going to get much better:)