In the beginning...

Being the mother of four children, ages 9, 6, 2, and 10 months, at the age of thirty I often receive the comment "my you have your hands full" and although it is a true statement I cringe when I hear it. It makes me feel like I don't have control over my children, which at times is also true, but for the most part I think they will become contributing members to society one day. I also wonder what the kids think when hearing the beautiful dressed and put together mother of one or the grumpy old woman say this, not so much the younger two - oblivion is their friend, but the older hear it so often that I don't want it to become a self-fulfilling prophecy and for them to think they overwhelm me. So one night while lying in bed I decided that every time someone said it to me I would respond with "I do but, they're a handful of blessings", but the hard part was saying it without bursting into laughter(lack of sleep always makes me laugh). It's been two weeks since my decision to reply with my new catch phrase and I have not been able to muster the nerve or the ability to stifle my snickers, so until then a nod and a smile will have to do.