Today wasn’t an easy day at work for me. Most days aren’t. They are actually never easy. They are always challenging, always rewarding, and always different. I work with kids all day and I love it, but no, it is never easy. Most days, though, are happy. Today was a little on the tough side. I say this knowing that the parents of the kids I work with might read this and I want to reassure. I adore these sweet babies. We still had a great day. They know I love them. I doubt they even know I didn’t feel fabulous all day long. That is the point, right? They shouldn’t know. It is my job to make sure they have a wonderful day.

One sweet monkey in particular was throwing a wrench in my day and she and I toughed it out together. She is just a wee one. Only a tiny tot, she is just about a year and a half. Something didn’t sit right for her today and, for whatever reason, she had a case of the Mondays on a Thursday; she just wasn’t feelin’ it.

So she cried.

And yelled.

And squawked.

In response, I comforted.

I cajoled.

I loved.

She still wasn’t feelin’ it.

By the end of the day we, the two of us, were tired. I was sure she was done with me. We sat together outside and watched the other children play, all of them blissfully oblivious to the struggle that had gone on all day between Little Miss and I. I snuggled her because she yelled at me whenever I put her down. I snuggled her because I love her. As I hugged her to me, I hoped she understood how much I love her and that, even though she isn’t my child, I will love her every day no matter what. At that moment, she wrapped her little arms around my neck and as I patted her back, I felt her tiny hands begin to pat my back as if to say, “We’re good. Tomorrow will be better.” Then she leaned back, looked at me and grinned her perfect little grin, and snuggled in again to pat my shoulder some more. Nope, not an easy day, but in the end still happy.