Love of the unconditional variety

You know those days (or weeks, or months) when your child seems to try your patience at every moment? I'm in the midst of one of those phases. Oh how I'd like to get out. Is there a secret door? An emergency exit? Some lock I can jimmy to return to sanity? I'm beginning to wonder if Em will ever be pleasant again. Is it teething? Intolerance of the cows milk? Separation anxiety? Please tell me it's not just her personality! If I exhibit a certain level of forbearance will the test be over?

I wasn't married long before I realized that my husband and I alternated between phases of being in sync and out of sync. Some weeks we're incredibly on. We're both in good moods, have interesting conversations, compliment each other, etc. But other times we're just off--easily annoyed, have nothing to talk about, resentful. What I didn't anticipate was that the same principle would hold true with children. I go through periods with Em when I'm over the moon about her. Everything she does is unbelievably adorable, and I don't count down the minutes until I can put her to bed. But this is not one of those times. And God knows that, which is why he led me to this quote:

How profound and utterly applicable. Unconditional love--that's the deal I signed on for when I became a parent. I shouldn't waste my energy wishing for Em to be different. I should be loving her as she is. But in the mean time, I can pray that she'll remember how to be happy again soon.