The Tickle Fight that went right

Today was a day. You know, one of "those" days. The ones where everyone and everything is just off. It started out fine, I only cleaned up puppy pee once before 8am. Then we went grocery shopping,  and I lost my keys somewhere between unlocking the car to load groceries and returning the cart. Not a huge distance to cover, but they were gone. So I had to re-unload kids and go and ask inside if they'd been returned. Thankfully they had,  although I have to admit I was a little annoyed that someone's good deed took an extra 15minutes of my time. Because you know if they would have left them where they were I would have found them in a minute. But it's ok, they were doing their best and I wasn't late for anything. Just a little hiccup.
Came home,  unloaded kids and groceries, (I can't remember if I cleaned more dog pee), made granola bars, and then it was time to get my oldest off the bus. It was early for the first time ever, so I almost missed it. He misbehaved at school,  so up in smoke went my dream of a nap. (No screen time if you get in trouble at school.) So we spent nap time writing apology letters (I almost fell asleep spelling "sorry"). Then the boys played. And made jokes. All about farts and poop. All afternoon. I was so tired of it. I sent them outside to play(twice), hoping that would burn off some of the crazy energy they seemed to have today. They came in, still telling weird 3 and 5 year old style farts jokes (like "why did the giraffe cross the road? So he could fart!" Which to boys is apparently hilarious), and proceeded to run laps around the living room for the next hour.
It was at this point I had given up. I know I did stuff, but it sure doesn't feel like I made any progress. I vacuumed the living room,  but only because my middle son had emptied out the dustpan of hair from yesterdays haircuts all over the living room. I sat down as the boys ran laps around me, doing my best to ignore the insanity and obnoxiously loud farting noises, and I felt useless. What was the point? What is the purpose to all this? I'm so tired but I haven't done anything worthwhile. And then it hit me. My perspective needs adjusting. That's when the tickle fight commenced.
Have you ever tried to tickle three children at once? Its hilarious,  and nerve wracking, and exhausting. But it works. My attention was all they needed to get over that edge. My attitude changed, so did theirs. So we tickled. And then I made dinner, and they played *somewhat* quietly (the fart jokes never stopped), and I was reminded of my purpose. The point of it all. To show them the same love God shows me. In spite of my tired, my grumpy, to just jump in and engage. The moments (yes, "those" ones), didn't stop, but my attitude was better.
And maybe,  just maybe, there is something a tiny bit funny about farting giraffes. At least its funny to watch them think its funny.