Is It Possible?

What I want to know is:  Is it humanly possible to be grateful for what we have RIGHT. NOW.  To really appreciate it - even if it's driving you nuts?!  Is it possible to appreciate a 2-year old in the midst of a temper tantrum or a 5-year old in the middle of 1000 questions or a 3-year old pushing down his brother?  Is it possible to appreciate those moments?  Because I know you can appreciate your baby when he naps or when he says sorry or when he smiles and gives you a big hug and kiss.  I know it's possible to appreciate your 3-year old when he's lovingly playing with his little brother.  But is it possible to appreciate your colicky baby when he's in the middle of screaming and all you want is sleep?!  Or possible to appreciate your kids begging you for milk when all you want is to eat your breakfast before it gets mushy?!

I started thinking about this when I stumbled on this blog about Layla Grace (Warning: Very Sad Blog. Proceed with caution.) http://laylagrace.org/  It is about a 2-year old only 1 month older than my own baby.  She's dying of cancer.  Her mother is facing the unthinkable.  She won't ever get to hear Layla Grace ask 1000 questions in a single day.  She won't ever get to hear her throw a temper tantrum again (if she ever did).  She'll never again get to wish that she could just get her laundry done or her grocery list written or her makeup on without being interrupted by her precious Layla.  All she has left are sleeping and sleepy moments.  And she regrets all of those times she wished Layla would nap or sleep or play quietly.  She wishes she could have every moment like that back and redo it and really appreciate it.

I read it and it brings me to tears.  I can't comprehend having to go through this as a mother.  And I wonder, am I grateful for being interrupted 100 times before I can sit down to eat a meal?  Am I grateful ENOUGH for my children in every single waking moment and every single sleeping moment?  And then I don't think I am and I wonder if it's humanly possible to appreciate those things when you have them.  And what does that truly mean? Does that mean appreciating it enough to not wish for it to be over?  Does it mean not wishing that your 2-year old would get out of diapers already?!  Or can you still appreciate the stage and look forward to the next?

And even though I'm not going through this as a mother (and hopefully never will), I still am in the same position as every mother on the face of the earth.  My children are growing up.  I will never have another today.  I won't get to do it over.  But unfortunately, laundry still has to be done, dishes have to be washed, house has to be cleaned, bills have to be paid.  So how do you appreciate every moment?  Even when you're in THOSE moments?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.