When I was getting ready for my day, I realized I kept smelling syrup. I thought it was the couch, floor, or table in the living room, but it was my shirt. I made pancakes for our toddler this morning. She had a busy week and is a little sad that it’s just us again, so I made one of her favorite foods. After breakfast and sharing some of mine, she climbed into my lap to watch a movie. She laid her head on my chest and rested. As a result, I smell like maple syrup. Now, this is not the worst thing that has ever been spilled on me. I have been spit up on, and my children have peed and pooped on shirts of mine when taking them to the bath. (Pro tip… DO NOT take their clothes off prior to taking them to the tub.) However, the smell of syrup made me think about my role as their mother. I wipe sticky faces, hands, mouths, and teary eyes. I spend my day singing, holding, rocking, and soothing little ones when their feelings get too big. I keep clothes washed, people fed, and a home clean while showing our children what responsibility and love look like. It’s not glamorous, I don’t see the world or attend conferences to talk about medical findings (my dream when I was a teenager). I haven’t won the Nobel Prize, I did not cure anything today, nor did I solve a big world problem…..but to my children, I solved big problems in their world. I tucked in sleepy children during nap time and watched as our daughter applauded her brother while he ate. I watched how she rubbed his back and sang to him while he fussed because she had watched me do it a million times. I rocked our girl while she yawned and tucked her into her favorite blanket. Sometimes, I wonder what my place in the world is, but today, I am comfortable knowing that I may not leave my mark on history, but I will leave my mark on the lives of our children. God gave me the gift of motherhood. The desire of my heart, the life I prayed for so fervently. I am grateful for my husband and children. The messy home and imperfect moments because these are the pieces of my life that I will always cherish.