Parenting ups and downs

I consider myself a pretty stable person, not one to get irrationally angry or crazy happy. I'm more straight forward, calm, easy going...not too easily upset or brought to tears and also not overly enthusiastic and hyper.
Parenting though...wow. It has it's ups and downs, doesn't it. All within a matter of a day.

Today...
JOY! The boys all slept at least 12 hours straight! Shea with limited coughing!
JOY! I'm just so happy that Shea is finally walking and rarely crawls at all. He's so much happier to be able to dance and run around! So am I.
SORROW. Liam is climbing all over me and doesn't know when to give me my personal space, especially when I'm trying to talk to someone.
JOY! I am able to shop with one child while the other two are in school. Special time alone with Shea.
SORROW. As I walk into preschool to pick Liam up, I hear teacher say, "LIAM, do you need to sit on the time-out chair?"
JOY! Liam writes his name so well and is trying to figure out spelling other things.
JOY! Shea takes a great long nap while I am able to bake pies! Pies! That hasn't happened in ages!
SORROW. Liam is calling me names and demanding a sixth snack.
JOY! The day is great! We get to walk to school every day for exercise and see some real live humans!
SORROW. Riley is not sharing his fort with the kindergardeners and there is some pushing of girls involved. Have I not taught him how to act appropriately and properly apologize? We have some work to do.
JOY! Shea loves to have the boys home to play with and will be entertained by them quite well.
SORROW. Riley is whining while he endures an hour time-out in his room for his behavior.
JOY! I know what I'm making for dinner!
SORROW. Greg has to leave for a meeting and the kitchen is a disaster. (Remember, pies.)
JOY! Riley is reading long stories now, and actually enjoying himself! I'm not even forcing him!
SORROW. The boys are fighting again. Over nothing really. Does it ever occur to them that they could be best friends if they wanted to?
SORROW. Shea is CRANKY. He wants to be held, but still is cranky. Darn teeth.
JOY! They are sleeping now and didn't try to get up once!

And that's not even half of it. I'm so stretched in my capacity to handle all the emotional craziness, that I thank God that I'm relatively stable enough to cope and stay sane! At least I think I'm sane!? I just encourage all you moms out there to give it all you've got and pray for the rest to come from HIS unending tanks of overflowing love, wisdom and patience as we deal with HIS kids. Sometimes, doesn't it help to think of them as HIS kids. As in, not mine! He gave His 3 busy boys to me to take care of, for some strange reason...as if I know what I'm doing!? What a challenge.