There are days when being a mom isn't all it's cracked up to be.

And then there are the other days...

I began as a single, 'accidental mom' and in the 12 intervening years, I have come to realize that being a mom is the biggest blessing and challenge a person could have.

Now, staring down the barrel of my oldest turning the big 1-3, I see myself turning another corner. Now with a toddler, a teen, a husband, and a growing business, being a mom has now become one of my favorite recreational activities. Sounds weird, I know, but allow me to explain.

When I embrace my kids, it's a mini vacation. It's a chance to unwind and feel gratitude.

When I play games with my kids, it's a chance to free my mind, be creative and experience the world for the first time all over again.When I cook and clean (and I detest cleaning, really, I do.) it becomes a gift I can give to my kids and myself.

I never saw things like this before.

In fact, there was a time when being a mom was a drudge, a chore, a major source of frustration, and a pain in the side (among other places).
I was a single mom, tring to raise a kid, and didn't have a clue. I was working, going to college and "trying" to be a mom, when in reality, it was the last thing I wanted to do.

I detested the "burden" of having to get up, bathe and dress someone else, bathe and dress myself, feed them, feed myself, cart them around and "deal with" their needs for attention. I had a life, doggone it, and I wanted to live it.

And there are still days when being a mom isn't all it's cracked up to be.

But then, there are the other days...