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Just because my voice may seem a little cracked, doesn't mean it's broken.

As a parent -- not to mention, a tired, and wigged-out older than most mommies, I know, in serious need of some uninterrupted sleep -- I take my bragging rites, seriously.

    "Yes, they are all mine and I'm just as surprised as you are!"

I can't help it -- they are such magnificent little creatures, it's hard not to wonder just how in the heck anyone (or, higher being) could ever expect, I could be their mother -- it's hard to ignore the pride I feel, whenever I express anything, about my children.

Especially, when they've been doomed to failure.

    "I can't believe I did it -- I was lousy and you could barely hear me -- but, I actually got up in         front of all the eighth graders and sang!"

My 13-year-old is in her school choir and tried out for a solo, last week.
   
    "I mean, some of those 8th graders are really good!"

She's in 7th grade and any one of her siblings will tell you that for Thing One to get up in front of a bunch of people and do, well, anything, is a really big deal!

    "Congratulations!"

I mean, she's always been really shy -- the first three years of her life, I'd only been able to get pictures of the top of her head -- but, has blossomed and made quite a few friends since starting middle school.

    "But, I didn't get it Mom!?!"

Yeah, I got that from the look on her face.

    "Get what?"

Obviously, her sisters and brother didn't hear the warning bells, or see how red their oldest sister's face was getting.

    "The...solo...I did NOT get the part!"

Mind you, this exchange lasted exactly the time it took me to turn the key in the ignition and put the minivan into gear.
   
    "This calls for a celebration -- who wants to get donuts!?!"

Everyone, of course.

    "But, does that mean that every time we don't do something right, then we get to go and get    
    donuts?!?!"

Yes, of course I expect that they always try their best -- although, we shouldn't be afraid to admit that our children are smart and perhaps even brighter, than their parents -- but, I happen to believe that it's okay to celebrate my children's attempts at absolute failure, as well.