Today I have been the mean mom, the tired mom, the overwhelmed mom, the anxious mom, the impatient mom, and the want-to-turn-in-my-mom-card mom.

Mostly, I’ve felt like the I-have-no-clue-what-I’m-doing mom.

I have raised my voice 47 times, told children to “Suck it up, Buttercup” 36 times, and have intervened in approximately 83 sibling disagreements. I have rolled my eyes 59 times, sighed 148 times, and visibly showed other signs of impatience, well, way too many times.

I stayed up too late last night, didn’t eat breakfast early enough this morning, haven’t gotten my workout in yet, and instead of doing anything remotely productive, I am sitting on the couch, way past being over-bored with social media scrolling.

Dinner, laundry, cleaning, nah. I don’t even want to do the things I enjoy.

In other words, #winning is not today’s theme.

I’m far from perfect. I don’t get it right even half as much as I’d like to. I am not always the best example for my kids. Sometimes I even act suspiciously like them.

But you know what?

I am fiercely loved. And so are you.

Because, Grace.

So however your day is going, remember that.

And if you tell anyone, including yourself, to “Suck it up, Buttercup,” I won’t judge.

Photo graciously provided by Unsplash contributor Jilbert Ebrahimi.