And the mother of the year award goes to.......

We take a step back in time about 2 years.  With my 3 young children in tow,  I decide I am brave enough to not only venture out of the house to meet dad for dinner but to actually bring the children in the restaurant .  I nervously sit down and hope for the best.  To my surprise, this was actually going pretty smoothly.  I'm gaining more confidence as my angelic little sweeties eat their bite sized portions.  My confidence is soaring as I think, "Wow, I have really got thing together!".  Across from me I notice a woman enduring her 2 energetic , bouncing boys.  She has a weary look in her eye that seems to say " Im being held captive...please send help!"....I smuggly gather up my perfect little family and head to the car.  As my confidence soars I decide that a trip to the local department store is in order.  As if  an imaginary dark cloud had descended, all tyranny had broken loose. I was sure that somehow I had missed someone ordering the release of the flying monkeys.  I struggled to get through the store as children poked each other and had tantrums.  People seemed to stare at the poor woman being held captive by her children...oh yes....payback had come....I weakly made it to the front of the store,  I stood in line muttering under my breath at the slow cashier...."whats the hold up?! why do I always get the slow chick?!".   The kids grabbed at the candy and the laser lights...I got to the van and traveled home with my head hung low.  I learned a humbling lesson that day....I learned a little more compassion....developed a little more sympathy for my fellow mom.