If there's one thing I've learned as a 49 year-old dad, it's that your children don't believe in wear and tear. They'll do everything in their power to wear you down physically and mentally (and that's without even trying!).
I've been forty-nine for just about one whole day, so far. Luckily only two of my three children are sick with strep and rashes and buckets of phlegm, and the rest of us are a single snot-face away from pure exhaustion. I know you don't want to hear about this stuff, so I'll continue...
By the way, there are actually more things that I've learned... I now know that it's perfectly fine to walk around with the crusty remains of god-knows-what on your sleeve, especially when you have more children than you have arms. Also, once you've achieved a certain level of intimacy while caring for a baby as they grow into a child, things that once seemed gross don't even make you flinch.
"Your daughter just smeared snot all over your pants." That's okay. "There's vomit on you, honey." So what. "There's a wet spot on your shirt." Who cares. "You smell like poop." And? - Seriously, I'm not exaggerating.
The truth is - when you love someone this much - they could literally hand you a mouth-full of slimy, chewed-up food (it's happened more times than I can count), and you'd accept it the same way you would if it were a handful of change at the checkout counter.
Love may stink - but if it's yours, you'll walk around with it on you all day.
