Today

has been rough.

I won't tell you how warm the time-out chair has been kept today, because counting all of the punished offenses would be too depressing.

Lucy is currently sporting a uni-brow bruise from where her face hit the edge of the chair on her way to the ground this morning, courtesy of big brother's hands. Those hands had a very hard time being nice this morning.

As a result of the uni-bruise incident, Lucy has started trying to push Charlie down whenever he approaches her. Lovely. Well, correction: she only tried to push him down once. All of the other times he goes near her, she just cries out for me. Possibly in fear. Definitely in panic. Lovelier.

This morning, as I was buckling Charlie into his car seat in the Trader Joe's parking lot, I looked up just in time to see the shopping cart, with Lucy still in it, rolling (quickly) into the center of the lane. I PANICKED and bolted to stop the cart at the same time as the lot's security guard. He got to her first. For a second there, I thought he was going to have me arrested for negligent parenting. All I could do was nod my head silently as he told me how careful I should be because of the slight grade in the parking lot. I was too shamed and embarrassed to say anything. Ugh. Who grades a parking lot anyway? And, for the record, I knew about the slant in the lot, which is why I put the cart between our car and the one next to it. Not that it made any difference, obviously. Blech. I still shudder and get sick just thinking about the 10 second ordeal. Thank goodness for security guards, I guess.

We got stuck in traffic on the way home and I saw a sign that made me laugh. Charlie immediately cheered from the back seat "Mom! You're happy!" Ouch. I think you missed a spot -- there isn't any salt on that part of the gaping "mom's had better days" wound. If my 2 year old sounds THAT surprised and pleased to hear me laughing, I know I need to fix something.

So now we are home, the babes are sleeping peacefully, and I am blogging. But it wasn't our train wreckesque morning that has motivated this post. It is this video that I just came across.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbYLKVgwztY&feature=player_detailpage

(blogger is being wack right now and won't let me upload pictures or movies.)

As I watched and listened to that video, I broke down in tears. Near sobbing, actually. What powerful and wonderful words to hear; especially today.

I am GRATEFUL for tender mercies. This video was one for me, today.

Watch this video. I don't care what faith you are: if you are a human that is either raising or spending alot of time with smaller humans, WATCH THIS VIDEO. It is powerful, it is inspiring, and it is reassuring. And even if you are totally on your A game today, watch it, because you will want Elder Holland's words to come to mind on those days when you can't remember where you left your A game.

Because some days are rougher than others. But regardless, each day is truly a gift.