"Gratitude turns why me? into TRY ME." -Robin Arzon

It's so easy to complain and feel sorry for myself in my oh so hard life. Someone is always sick and keeping me up at night, someone is teething, someone's butt always needs to be wiped, someone is always hungry, little bodies need to be scrubbed, and don't even get me started on Wednesday nights when 4 heads of hair need to be washed. By the time I finish the 4th I don't even want to wash my own hair.

Someone, or some two or some three, constantly need me day and night. I've tested the need. When I leave the room I can only be gone for 3 1/2 minutes before someone notices and calls out looking for me. They don't need actually need anything, they just need me to never, ever, ever leave, eat or go to the bathroom alone.

I had to put up a literal fence to keep the monsters away, so this is my view most days from the bike.

Then the other day between dealing with a feverish baby and my poor, sweet, big Dahlia who couldn't even swallow water her throat hurt so much, I hopped on the Peloton with Robin Arzon to keep my cool. If I don't exercise I get antsy, then I get angry, and then I go all Turning Red and make my own children cry. Sooooo I try to exercise when I feel myself losing control.

Toward the end of the ride Robin said, "Gratitude turns why me? into TRY ME." Ooooooo this girl is good! I like to think that if we met we'd be BMF's (Best Mom Friends) because she's a hard core mom and I like to think I am too. And just like that my perspective changed and I was set straight again. Usually these moments happen for me when I hide in a corner and get my chapter of the Bible in, but today it was a fellow hard core mom, Robin Arzon.

It's easy to feel sorry for ourselves on one of those days when everything goes wrong. When we haven't had a break in weeks, the munchkins are out of sorts, the toddler decided she doesn't need a nap the day Mama needs a nap, and the husband seems to always be away on business when the kids are sick. BUT there is always, always, something to be thankful for. Thank you Lord that my husband has a job and doesn't hate it. Thank you God that I get to stay at home so I can take care of my kids when they're sick. Thank you Lord that said toddler has such a spunky personality it makes us laugh way more than it makes us sigh.

Said toddler is, of course, Stella. She'll shoot you and she'll do it in light up Elsa heels.

I'm afraid I can't remember who the guest was, but "Don't Mom Alone" is my all time favorite podcast. There was a speaker who said that she taught her kids to do something kind for someone else when they were feeling like life wasn't fair. When you get your mind off of yourself and focus on others I guarantee you will feel better. So I guess you could say it's a selfishly kind gesture. When my girls start to get into a rut of feeling sorry for themselves I have them do something kind for a friend or family member. If you're 4-year-old Elena it's making a card for someone with no words, just a rainbow, house and girl with a triangle body. If you're Dahlia it means a 3 layer, pink easy bake oven cake and by the time she's done baking with a lightbulb she can't remember why she was in a funk. Now she's just focused on the joy she will be bringing to her friend in the shape of sugar and too much food coloring.

This very well could have been a "Why me?" whining moment. It's half of us at the end of a very long day. It started at 6am in Mexico and this was at 5pm in the uber back in New Jersey. I'm holding Elena's sleeping head and never even had a chance to take the baby sling off. We don't fit in one uber anymore, so Rodolfo peacefully rode alone while I rode with all of our baggage. And the suitcases.

So the next time you want to whine, "Why me?" put on your sports bra and say, "TRY ME" instead.