tender mercies from children

Lately I've been a terrible, horrible, no good very bad mother... especially when it comes to patience with Tatum. For example, I remind or ask him, what seems like 20 times, to do something... and by 5:00 pm, when I continue to get push-back, I snap! Chase walks through the door and enters a war zone. It seems though, in the moments when I want to just run away and hang-up my motherhood hat for a while, that the little people who are causing me all this grief tune-in and give a tender mercy when it's needed most. Like today for example, dinner was in the oven, the kids were riding their wiggle cars around the kitchen (just to keep them entertained and happy for 5 minutes while I cooked), and I slipped over to the family room to lay on the floor and kick my feet up. I was literally plugging me ears and holding back tears. Chase was going to be late, again, and I was DONE for the day! Just then, it got more still and Tate walked over, put a blanket on me, then proceeded to make a spot for him right next to me. "Can I snuggle you Mom?" Tender mercy. Or when the bedtime routine just wasn't going quick enough and I needed him in bed stat, so I tell him to get his jammies on then come downstairs. As a start walking away, he says, "Mom, you're hair looks beautiful. I love you." Tender mercy. And these tender mercies happen daily. I know it's God's way of putting me in my place, reminding me how important my role is and how precious these kids are, and encouraging me to keep going... even if for only another hour.