So Blessed

I feel as though I have one of the best jobs in the world. I absolutely love what I do! Taking care of kids is so rewarding...and so tiring...but with the good comes the bad. For me, one minute of good outweighs all the bad.
Today, is full of snot. Little Man is teething tooth number 3, and Miss Magee has a cold which she so kindly shared with me. While sitting beside the kiddie pool this morning, I couldn't help but think of how amazing my job was. As that thought came and went, I began to think of all the "other" stuff that came with it. I know that anyone out there who spends most of their day with little kids would agree, there's no privacy, no down time, and no clean days. Miss Magee is at the potty training stage which means every time I use the "big girl potty," she must broadcast it to the world, fling the door wide open (which I had partially closed), and proceed to make comments or ask questions. Then there's Little Man who must get into every little thing while I am being detained by the question Queen in the royal throne room.
There's also the problem of personal space. Let me just say, it doesn't exist. As soon as I lower myself down to 3 feet, I am fair game. In Little Man's eyes, I am better than any other toy out there. I am the ultimate jungle gym. It's like he has a sense about him. I might be in the other room, but as soon as I sit down on the floor or squat down to talk to Miss Magee, he's there  pulling up on me, gnawing on me, drooling, the whole bit.
Staying at home with kids is not pretty. This job is not one that I get dressed up for. I don't wear sweat pants, and I try to look decent for that outing that I can only pray gets accomplished without the many possible malfunctions. I dress practical. I don't put make-up on simply because I don't see the point, and my hair is typically thrown up in a messy bun or pony tail. Upon leaving, I can guarantee you there will be a little bit of snot on my shoulder or a spec or two of leftover lunch from Little Man. Or, you might find finger paint or a hint of playdo somewhere. Then there are the days when the look of "is today over yet?!" is plastered on my face. But despite all of that, the little moments of good still come out in front.
Miss Magee is learning how to pull up her own pants, and it's so adorable how she shakes and tugs to get them up over her bottom. And then there's the time in the pool where Little Man squeals and laughs as he splashes....me, and Miss Magee repeats "shay you boo-eee!" (shake your booty) over and over with a huge smile on her face.
I can't help but feel so blessed to be a part of their lives. Each day brings a new accomplishment (and trial), and I walk away feeling so thankful to have them in my life. At times I feel like they teach me more about myself and the world than I teach them.
Again, I think that every parent or person who invests in the lives of little children would agree, that though it seems like most moments aren't pretty, they're memorable and worth more than words can express.