The most stressful part of my day, without question, is that half-hour to an hour when I'm trying to get twin 4 year old girls out of the house in the morning.  Really, without question.  It is a difficult time filled with battles of wills over dresses and teeth brushing and hair brushing.  It is a time spent looking for matching shoes and missing coats.  It is a time filled with whining and screaming.

And, no, it's not usually both girls giving fits at the same time.  Thankfully, they usually take turns and when one's in "a mood" the other tries to be "little miss perfect", or at least "little miss not-so-bad."  Today it was Bethany's turn to be a handful.  It really comes down to the dress she wanted to wear to daycare and how I tried to get it on her in such a way that it covered all of her that needed to be covered.  And she didn't like it.  And she was mad.  And then she wouldn't let me brush her hair.  And then she dragged her feet getting to the car.  And then when we were finally in the car she was upset that Abigail made it so she couldn't button her seatbelt.  And then...  And then...  And then...

Well...

By the time I got them to daycare at 8:42 AM I felt as if I'd put in a full day of parenting.  I made my way to the coffee shop...for medicinal purposes, of course...and sat sipping a latte and enjoying a some time away from the little ones...thankful that we have a daycare option and that I would soon go home to a house with no children in it for the remainder of the day.

That said, I need to remember some things about this time in our collective lives.  And, no, I don't need to remember the whining and the battle of wills.  They might be hard to forget, but that's not what I need to remember.

I need to remember that my little girls like nothing better than dressing up, even going to daycare.  They love "spinny" dresses.  They love having their toenails painted and glitter on.  And they want to get their hair just right.  And, when it finally happens, it's adorable.  I need to remember this.

I need to remember that their desire to do things on their own is a good thing.  There are growing up. They are coming into their own.  They are getting their personalities.  They are testing the boundaries of independence.  There will come a time that I will want them to be very independent.  I need to remember this.

I need to remember the "blue doggy" that Bethany takes with her every day to Little Bears and sleeps with at night.  Also, I need to remember Abigai's "green blankie."  Both of these items have been loved and loved and loved and loved.  We live in a throwaway culture but here are two little girls who will hold on to that which is most dear to them.  I need to remember this.  Perhaps I can learn from it.

I need to remember all the opportunities for playing and games that these two girls find all the time.  Sometimes it's when we're eating dinner and we really wish they'd eat.  Sometimes it's when we're going to bed at night when we really wish they'd start getting ready.  And, it happens all the time when I'm trying to rush them out of the house but they've found something else to get their attention, a toy to play with, a doll that needs dressing up.  Too many people have lost the ability to play like little children.  I need to remember this.

And I need to remember, as I sit in the coffee shop, enjoying my latte in some peace and quiet, that there will come a day where it will be very peaceful and very quiet in our home.  And, when that day comes, I'll look back on the sound of children playing and fighting and running around and squealing and miss it.  I need to remember this.

So, today I'm trying to remember.

Perhaps it will help if I write it down here.