Putting it in perspective.

My children have witnessed my actions through this last "Month of Mouse."  The mice aren't gone forever yet, but my reinforcements have arrived, so I have new hope. 

They've heard my blood curdling scream 3-4 times upon the sighting of a mouse.  Once, one was in the bathroom when I was in the tub and Halle held the door open while I did the naked-screaming-dripping wet-run out of the bathroom.  I was blind in my panic and didn't even grab a towel.  I bolted and did the running in place thing in between each real step.  I was a wailing, shaking, shimmying, dripping, mad woman.  I'm looking into some counseling for her.  They have also heard my weeping prayers that sound something like this:

Heavenly Father, I know that there's a lot of hard things going on right now, and I want you to know that I understand them, and I can do whatever you need me to do.  I am strong enough to do this...but Heavenly Father, if you want the truth...I CANNOT DO THE MICE!  Please, please, please get the mice out of my house.  PLEASE. 

When I see a mouse I cry, and it takes hours for me to recover.  I know it's not a rational fear, but it's there none the less.

Anyway, back to today.  I always tell my kids that I love them.  We say all kinds of things like:

Me:  Who loves you the most in the whole world?
Them:  Heavenly Father.
Me:  Yes. but I'm a very close second.  I'm right on his robe tails....RIGHT THERE.

Or

Me:  Do you have any idea how much I love you?
Them:  To the moon and back?
Me:  No.  Not even close.

Or

Me:  There is NOTHING you could do to make me stop loving you.
Them:  What if we LIED?
Me: Nope
Them: What if we hurt people and went to jail?
Me: Nope
Jack:  What if I made chocolate disappear?
Me:  I'll get back to you.

In reality, my children have no context to understand my love for them.  Mostly they roll their eyes at me and say "*SIGH* I love you too."

Today I said:

Halle, I love you so much that if I had to, I would lay naked in a big tub of mice for a whole day.

Her mouth fell open and her eyes got big.  In a whisper of abolute wonder she said:

"REALLY?"

Yep.  And I don't think it would be too hard, I would have heart failure within the first few seconds.  After that, it would be all downhill.