I have been a mom to a plethora of TEENAGERS now for over ten years... Let that sink in a bit. I have managed to raise seven grownups (some only just at age nineteen, and all of whom are in high school still).

With those seven young adults, I also have five adolescents, one pre-teen, one child, and one toddler...

Some days are not easy. Some days, the kids (all of whom are girls except one) are quite emotional. Nine of whom are not of my blood, but born of my heart.

It gets real around here. It really does.

Today was one of those days. Today was a day when one teenager decided she just didn't want to be spoken to. At all.

Another decided she didn't want to speak to me. At all...

It has been a day of making kids do work around the farm as 'discipline' because I have no other idea how to get them to understand that they must respect their parents even if they 'don't feel like it.'

So here I am, in my little lounge with one teenager an arms length away (because there is no escaping them, haha), writing this little blog to let you know that if your world seems crazy and out of control, and if you feel like a lousy parent despite having clocked over nineteen years of parenting under your belt... You are not alone.

You've got this. It is ok to make mistakes. Kids know when you love 'em. They know when you are trying your best.

So there. That is all I have to say.

I am going back to being an adult today. Love you all.