Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Dear Mom, Here's Your Dish Towel.

As I sat down to write this post, I heard a shriek from the kitchen, followed by, "I SPILLED IT!" Come to the rescue, mop up the mess, pat the blonde head, fill up the cup, sit back down, start typing.

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Dear Mom,

Hang in there.

It's Wednesday. Wednesdays can be hard. Wednesdays here are crazy.

But you've got this.

You made it halfway through the week. The kids are alive, the house hasn't burned down, and even though you've been interrupted seven--no wait, Hey buddy, I'm typing here!--eight times, your brain is still functioning on a somewhat acceptable level.

Pat yourself on the back. Brew that cup of coffee and sneak that piece of chocolate.

Better yet, text your best friend and send her an ugly pic of you crying.

This may or may not have actually happened.

She'll tell you it's okay. Even though you yelled at your kids in the car, then apologized, and then cried. It's okay.

And when your husband calls and you try to talk through muffled sniffs and sobs, he'll let you in on a secret. Remember last night, when you were at that meeting at school? He told your toddler she was only allowed to speak in a whisper for the rest of the night BECAUSE SHE WAS TALKING IN SUCH A LOUD SHOUTING VOICE AND HIS EARS WERE ABOUT TO BLEED.

And you'll laugh. The tears will stop.

This may or may not have actually happened.

And maybe you'll make a call and randomly get a receptionist who, through sheer intuition, makes you privy to a little nickname she and her friends used to call the 4-5 o'clock hour at their houses when they had little ones at home: Arsenic Hour.

Because they're either going to give it, or they're going to take it.

And you'll laugh again. Because nobody actually wants to poison anyone. But you ugly-cried into a dish towel and now your face smells like a mix of onion and countertop spray and it's good to know that today?

Today is hard, and you're not alone.

You have purpose, Mom. God gave you your kids for a reason and He chose no one else to be their Mom but you. And even though they are circling around you as you type as sharks circle around their prey, take a deep breath and smile and know that today is fleeting. Maybe you didn't craft today. Or bake cookies. Or teach your kid anything new.

Or shower. Whatever.

Hang in there.

There were good moments intermixed with the bad. Like when your four year old with tousled blonde hair cried because the apple she was drawing looked more like a "shirt" (I have no idea). Remember those little moments as you're popping a frozen pizza in the oven because that new healthy roasted vegetable dish you made for dinner burned to a crisp.

Tomorrow is a new day. Keep your chin up.

I am toasting you with my second (third?) cup of coffee. Here's to the good things.

And bedtime.

Have a lovely day.

Love,
Me

3 comments:

  1. Sorry today was hard. This mommy stuff is so exhausting and so rewarding. You are amazing.

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  2. Like sharks circling...I love this! It made me laugh so hard. Some days are just hard. This Mom thing! Your encouragement is so wonderful and needed.

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