Cranky much?

My legs are currently covered from top to bottom, front to back with itchy red hives.
My fingers are covered in eczema turned infantigo (I think). Basically dry, cracked, oozing sores.
My face is completely, utterly, painfully, devastatingly broken out.
I'm trying to balance out my crazy hormone imbalance (which I've struggled with for the last two years) with a new regimen of vitamins and minerals.
But none of those work over night. They take time and patience. Of which, when all you can do is itch, is running out.

All of these equal out to me being a crazy amount of cranky.

I woke up that way today.

Cranky.

I tried my best to have patience with my boys.
To just slow down, ignore the itching and the burning and pimples that seem to pop up every hour, and focus on my boys. And that mountain of "changing seasons laundry" that happens you know, at the change of the season. ;)

But I just kept failing.

Thank God for his Grace.
And for the grace from my children.
Who are learning first hand, that mommy needs forgiveness, just as they do.
Their sweet faces lighting up when I apologize for my harsh tone or lack of patience.

"That's okay mommy, I love you!"

We dropped Henry off at school. I felt like a hot mess. Undone, air-dried hair. No make-up because really, whats the point? It's not going to hide anything this bad. And "yoga" pants. Because I feel better saying I wore yoga pants verses sweat pants. Which might actually be more of what they are. Hmm.

 I needed to go to the bank.

Ben squealed:
 "Mommy we go get apple juice?"

On his tip toes, his face lit up with dimples and lashes for days. His blue eyes lit up even further when the red motorcycle pulled into the parking lot.

We walked into Starbucks.

The comfy chairs, for once, were empty.

And there we sat.

Cheering our drinks.
Giggling.
Taking turns taking pictures.
Snuggling.
Tickling.
Laughing out loud.
Lost in our own little world.

For a minute I let go of "me" and my fleeting troubles and soaked up these sweet moments with my littlest.
And these physical ailments, though wearing on me, are fleeting. I am resting in the hope that my God, the ultimate healer, will heal me. And if, healing me is not what He has in mind, then I will pray for the grace that I will learn to accept and uplift Him in my suffering. Because my suffering pales in comparison to so many. And so I will choose Joy. Even if it itches.

The contrast in this one made my pimples disappear. Momentarily. {sigh}