My day started out like any other,
waking to the sound of little feet sneaking their way into my bedroom. Lily and Samuel’s smiling faces inches away
from mine, startle me when I open my heavy eyes.
In his quiet, but excited, voice Samuel says, “It’s morning time Mommy! Wake UP!” And Lily chimes in with, "Hungry. Hungry, Mommy." I roll out of bed, still slightly exhausted and make a quick breakfast. After breakfast, we spend a few precious moments
with Daddy before he has to leave for work.
All three kids and I play
together. We roll balls back and forth, read books, make Abram smile and giggle, and while we watch Frozen we sing along and dance to all
the songs. I notice it is already lunch time,
and after lunch come naps. As I check up
on each sleeping child I feel a touch of sadness at how quickly my days are
passing, and how fast my children are growing.
But I am still thankful for nap time.
Time is short before Lily wakes. Of course, she can’t play alone, so she wakes
her sleeping brother to play with her.
And just like that, the quiet is gone, and the laughter and squabbling of
children can be heard once again. Abram
wakes happy, but by the time Daddy comes home he is sobbing inconsolably, and
Samuel and Lily are desperately wanting my attention. In the chaos, dinner was forgotten as we
rushed out the door to run important errands.
On our drive home- after 11 PM,
mind you- Samuel was crying because he was so hungry. I felt terrible for forgetting dinner! I
promised him I would make him something to eat when we got home. Comforted he fell asleep before we got home
and Daddy carried him and Lily up to the house.
As we walked in, Samuel reminded me that I promised to feed
him.
Reassuring him that I hadn’t
forgotten, I ask him to sit down at the table while I made him a peanut butter
and jelly sandwich. He sat so patiently. Then, as I set his meager meal before him, he turned to me and said, “Mommy. You are the best sandwich-making mommy
ever!!” I gently kissed his forehead,
then I had to turn away so he wouldn’t see my tears, because in that moment I
had been feeling like a total failure- for forgetting dinner and not having anything
better to feed my son than a PB&J.
More often than not, I am the sandwich-making mommy, for one reason or
another, and I am so grateful my kids can love me past my inadequacies.
