how I would like to appear.

I’m always seeing other moms out with their kids as my kids and I are running errands, grocery shopping and just living life.

And some of these moms seem just plain miserable.

Which makes me wonder,

how many times do I appear the same way?

What do I look like when someone catches that ten second glimpse of my life and sees me with my children?

What do they see?

Not that I’m trying to impress people or put up a good front.

Goodness knows,

I don’t have the energy for faking it.

I just wonder if the sum of my moments with my children is more positive or more negative?

My family is the best part of my life.

Sure, without them I would have more time for pedicures and completing entire novels.

But days would be empty and my impact would be less.

Those six children are a part of what is most precious and most important about my days here on earth.

But does my life reveal that?

Do my actions support my beliefs?

Or am I just slugging along and begrudging how long it takes to run every errand and to buckle and unbuckle and buckle and unbuckle every seat belt in our vehicle at every stop?

Both, of course.

I know I’ve been both.

I’ve been miserable.

And I’ve been satisfied.

Both at home and on the streets.

I just want to choose satisfaction more.

Joy.

That elusive contentment.

With whatever my lot may be.

Even when my lot is a long line at the DMV or a crying baby in a grocery cart  or six stops with five young children on the hottest day of summer.

Whichever.

Peace.

That’s what I’d like a stranger to see when they look at me with my gaggle of children.

(Or hear us.  Because they’ll likely hear us before they see us.)

Peace.

Go ahead.

Watch for it.

And call me out when it’s absent.

As I am sure it will be in short supply some days.

And I’ll do the same for you.