When you can't understand children

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he’s been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to just be people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey…delays…sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling burst of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."

- Gordon B. Hinckley

There is a problem I think that comes through the blogging world and other social media that has long bothered me, and it is this:

We only see the good times, the exciting times, the beautiful pictures, the most important moments of other's life as we use these vehicles. We like things and share things and for some reason make so much time for it in our daily life. It's lovely to see the exciting events of other people. It is so nice to be able to stay in contact with so many that we would lose track of otherwise. 

But.

(At least for me) I think we compare our life to the glimpses we see of other's lives on social media. When that happens, we loose appreciation for the little things that make life, life. 

What is it that we think life is?

I generally am not blogging about changing diapers, 

or trying to soothe screaming children in a language they don't understand, 

or making food that's too foreign that they aren't willing to eat it, 

or emptying the dishwasher,

or trying not to lose my patience when everyone is upset,

or trying to potty train a little girl that is totally content pooping in her underwear, 

or not even being able to tell the mischievous neighborhood friend that she needs to go home now,

or the moments when Jara will let me snuggle with her, 

or Jaron asked me if I want to watch a movie with them, 

or Jannis letting me scratch his back,

or Jara always jabbering away,

or Lavonne mimicking my singing in her sweet little voice,

or Jannis' cute laugh,

or sitting and talking with the parents when the children are asleep,

or reading in my room when the house is quiet.

Those little things are just as much a part of life as any other part.

I like to share my pictures and my adventures on this blog partly as a personal record for myself, and because I have been asked so many questions and wanted to give people the opportunity to hear more about it than a shallow "It was good!" response that time would limit me to. It is also therapeutic for some reason for me to blog.

But please don't think that's it's all adventure. It would be exhausting if it always was. The majority of what I do everyday would never receive a "like" on facebook, so thank goodness that is not how life is measured.

I'm dedicating this post to the little things that make life, life. Not being able to communicate with children has been mine this past month.

I've seen castles, and tried fun foods, and loved the people I've met, and traveled thousands and thousands of miles away from home and all around it's been pretty awesome, but there have been not so good days as well. 

It's just part of life.