Last night, Harper couldn’t sleep. Which meant I couldn’t sleep. Which meant we were both awake in the middle of the night, tangled up in blankets and lullabies that didn’t quite work. Those hours are exhausting, yes, but also the kind I’ll miss one day.

By the time morning hit, my older kids were already proving that momming never ends. One needed a battery jump. Another couldn’t figure out why their coffee pot wouldn’t start. And somehow, they thought of me the same me who can’t get her dryer to dry properly. (Apparently, I’m the family’s official hotline for all things broken, even when my own appliances are failing.)

And then, because I like to make things extra chaotic, I’ve been staying up until 4 a.m. illustrating Hugsy’s Christmas book. It’s my last book of the year, and I want it dripping with magic. Because if you’re going to lose sleep, it may as well be for Christmas sparkle.

But here’s the part that got me right in the heart: four of my older kids sent me passages for Tyler’s book this week. And Tyler sent his, too. Reading their words melted me in a way only a mama could understand. It was like holding tiny pieces of their hearts on paper.

That’s when it hit me. This, all of this, is mommy magic.

The late night rocking.

The clogged coffee makers.

The calls for help that don’t stop just because they grew up.

I love that they still trust me to be the one they turn to. I hope they never stop. Because the magic of motherhood isn’t in having all the answers, it’s simply  always being needed.

And if my kids still think I’m the one who can fix the unfixable? I’ll gladly hold that title forever.

~~For the curious minds~~

The book is still 100 hours away from being illustrated 

The dryer is fixed there was a sticker on the drying sensor (thanks to Harper I am sure) 

The coffee pot seems to be possessed and may need an exorcism or warranty call 

The battery should be good to go