Baptism, Motorcycle Rides, and A Beautiful Sunday

Saturday May 31st my 8 year old daughter was baptized. In our Church we wait to baptize our children until they are 8 - we believe they are old enough at this time to decide to be baptize and make a promise with God to keep His commandments.
She looked like an Angel -- she even acted like an Angel - that day. She was her sweet self that is hidden by her screaming - I don't want to be told what to do - self. Anyway. She was all in white. She looked like a princess. I kept thinking - just keep this picture in your mind...because there is a good chance it will not last long. I was right. By Monday morning she was yelling at me about how she didn't want to help pick up, and how she didn't have to, and how she wasn't going to. In those moments as a Mom you can either stay quiet and tell her once to get it done and walk away --- or you bring yourself down to her level (an 8 yr old child) and scream back. Monday I kept my dignity -- Today was a different story. I had not even been able to get out of my pajamas and eat breakfast before she was yelling at me about not cleaning up the mess her and her 5 yr old brother made early before others were out of bed. I kept cool for the first 20 minutes of her outburst -- then I lost it. Took off after her - as she realized I was not going to listen to it any more and she ran upstairs to her room. Yelled at her through her door about how she would not talk to me like that and she would stay in that room until I decided to come get her - threatened her with a spanking (which does not usually happen) and being grounded from friends (which happens a lot). Yes, I know - not one of my most shining moments as a mother. But I kept thinking in my mind - she does not act like this with anyone outside of the family. She is great at school, Church, the neighbors - some even have nick-named her "SMILEY". Why does she treat me - her mother that loves her more than anyone else could - gave birth to her - feeds, loves, cooks, and cleans for her -- why me? Then it hit me - because I am a safe place to let all her frustrations out on. Does not make it right - and she really does need to stop it -- but she knows I will still love her even after she is mean like that. She knows that her mother will love her - in spite of her mean streak. I am sure someday she will outgrow those moments - they really aren't a 24 hr. a day event--- but a few times a week is still too much for me.
After the baptism Saturday - we had a lot of family come back to our house for a huge lunch and visit. Some left after lunch and my husband's side of the family stayed until after dinner. There were kids everywhere! They were having so much fun. We even got out the big water-slide for them -- and my husband got out his motorcycles for the guys. He thought they would ride his old one because he just bought a new one less than a week before. But the new one is cooler - and he figured they had all ridden motorcycles before. Well, by that night after everyone left he noticed the pipes were scratched and dented. Now this made my husband very sad (not mad) at first because the value dropped on his bike in one afternoon --- but he is also a man who knows it just a bike and would not have been mad at anyone about it. Except - no one told him they did it. He said that hurt more than anything is that no one came and said - I tipped your bike over and I am really sorry. With Kirk being honest about something goes along way. He is over it now - disappointed I am sure - but moving on. So much for our perfect brand new addition.
But with that said - it was a wonderful day. Everyone had so much fun and no one got hurt - which is amazing with that many kids running around all over the place. The rain even kept away until just as everyone was pulling away.
Sunday was even more beautiful. My 8 yr old daughter was again dressed in her white dressed so she could be presented in front of the congregation on Sunday. She was beautiful inside and out. We had a nice meal and went for a drive in the sunshine. Came home and took the 8 yr old daughter and 11 yr old son to a Primary fireside about traps Satan has for us - and how to be strong and stay strong - and how it easier to keep out of traps in this world if we just stay as far away from them as possible. But that if a trap gets us - that we can get out of it with the Savior's help. And it is not the end of the world. But it hurts a lot less if we never get trapped. It was very on their level and really great!
All in all it was a great weekend. But after a couple of days of butting heads with my daughter, I wonder if all moms go through days like this -- or do they have perfect and wonderful days like our weekend was? I envision them like the princess in Enchanted - so "bird singing around them" while the real crazy world doesn't even effect them. Then there is me noticing the birds and thinking how lovely until a child starts screaming "MAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWM" and thinking "I never thought I would want to ignore that name". Oh well, here is wishing for fairytale days in nightmare schedules, dirty dishes, laundry and kids - in a Reality TV Show World we live in. And to be honest most days that hope and belief that the fairytale is possible is what keeps me striving for it and facing another day.