the big picture

but of course life's not all sunny mornings,

painting peacefully with the boys,

enjoying sweet baby smiles,

and delighting in my girl

it's also up-all-night

comforting the coughing, feverish ones

and your being cries for rest

through aching body and runny nose

exhaustion beyond  imagination

yet appointments must be kept

and dishes pile up

while laundry mountains grow

and trash begins to stink

and everyone still wants to eat

so you gulp the coffe down

and try to breathe in deep

and you pray for super-human Grace

to keep on going, keep on loving

and somehow strength is there