I'll admit that I get a little aggravated and on edge from time to time.  The two things that bother me most, the things that I don't handle well, the things that I want to work on are (1) when we are trying to be on time for something and we can't get it together and (2) when the boys bicker.  I don't feel bad that these two conditions exist because they are part of every family.  Most siblings bicker.  I know that my brother and I bickered.  Jonah and Aaron bicker like regular brothers.  Thankfully, they don't beat on each other too much.  It's just a cycle of button pushing and yelling, usually.  Pretty tame in the big picture.  I'd like to think, too, that most families struggle from time to time coordinating all of the things that are necessary to get out the door, in the car, and on the way to events in a timely fashion.  I don't think that we are exceptional in this regard either.  But, I don't handle either situation very well.  Put both of them together and I lose my cool.

Cathy never loses her cool (except the day she married me ha-ha!).  When the boys are freaking out, when Clara is fussing, when I'm at my wit's end, she can bring calm to everyone.  She keeps her voice low, but everyone hears her.  She gives everyone what they need at the time.  She's magical.  Sometimes it really bothers me because I know I can't do that.  Her special presence is a gift that I don't have - that mystical, innate leadership ability that is given to only a select few people.

When I'm about to lose it, or I'm losing it, or I've lost it, I often ask myself what Cathy would do in the situation.  I can always come up with a good answer, but the implementation doesn't always work because I don't have Cathy's special way.  She's a great wife and a great mom.

To understand my ha-ha, Cathy's maiden name is Cool.  That is why the day she married me is the only day she lost her "cool".