The Multi-tasking Mom

Sometimes I picture God with a pantry full of qualities, sorting through and picking out which ones will go in which people's buckets. Everyone has their unique gifts, of course, but one common quality found in most women is the ability to multi-task. I imagine him pulling out the "multi-task" bag, smiling and dropping one in each women's bucket saying "They're going to need this one!"

I'm not saying men are any less challenged in life. They have their own battles. I can only describe my experiences as a multi-tasking mom, and I do it in hopes of encouraging fellow moms out there who sometimes feel like their head will pop off from all the spinning around it does all day long.

Case in point: A typical day in our household
I sit here drinking luke warm coffee that I've already warmed up twice in the microwave. In between disgusting sips from my own mug (that I only take for the benefit of the caffeine kick it's giving me) I sip from the tiny, blue plastic mug of "coffee" my daughter keeps refilling for me from her toy teapot. As I drink my coffees I open my work email and try to begin my work for the day - but then there's a thump, a scream, and crying.

My daughter is now on the floor beside my son's bed, tears streaming from under her sunglasses and dress-up hat because she was trying to be like her big brother and jump off the bed too. After kisses and cuddles, everything's okay again. Back to work. More screaming. Now they're fighting. Break up the fight. Step in something sticky. Clean it up. Now someone needs the potty, the phone rings, back to work? No. They've filled the tea pot with real water and spilled it on the floor, they're hungry and want a snack, I wipe my daughter's hands and find...
THIS

So forget the dishes, the laundry, the groceries and oh yeah THE WORK...we're off to the doctor's office. Every other task put on hold to go investigate the rash.

This is not to say I always handle the multi-tasking well, because I certainly have my meltdowns. But this gift God has given me, and my co-mommas, allows us to get up the next morning, take a deep breathe, and do it all over again. And even enjoy the wild ride!

A Tale of Toes

It’s 2 a.m. I would be asleep except for the foot in my back that’s slowly moving me off the edge of my bed. I’m clinging to the edge of my mattress, but losing ground. Sure he had a nightmare and I’m happy to comfort him, but enough is enough! Somewhat annoyed, I reach back to move the intruding appendage, and my hand closes around a rumply sock covering a perfectly toasty set of three-year-old toes. 

Suddenly, I’m taken back to another time when these toes in my bed kept me awake. I can’t help but smile as I remember Christmas Eve when these little piggies were only five months old. Grandma’s house definitely wasn’t as warm of a climate as he was used to sleeping in. I couldn’t blame him for fussing. I was frozen even snuggled up to my husband. So without question I brought baby into bed with us, and then laid there not wanting to fall asleep. Enjoying the peaceful bliss of knowing my whole little family was safe and snug in the same bed as me. Knowing there would come a day when I would lay awake worrying about where he was, if he was safe, if he was warm, I soaked up the image of his little sleeping face only inches from mine.

Back to the present I gently place the little boy foot away from my spine, but then roll over to tuck him in and admire that sleeping face once again – grateful to know he’s close, safe, and content.

Happy Mother's Day

Yes, I got breakfast in bed, and a present from both of my lovely children. But perhaps my favourite moment of the day was after the dutiful "We love you mommy" moments were over. Their obligations forgotten, I watched my son turn a diaper box into a superhero car/airplane, and my two-year-old daughter march around in her light-up Cinderella shoes, wearing her zebra backpack, and a pearl necklace as a Greek goddess-type tiara.

As I watched them lost in their make-believe worlds I marveled at the fact that I get to spend every day with them watching and helping them discover, develop, and decide how to make their way in the world. It's an awesome responsibility and privilege.

Happy Mother's Day to all you who are in the same splendid situation of helping to mold precious little (or big) lives!

Don't take the details for granted

I’ve always followed the “proper” timeline for life events. I got a degree, then got married, then got a good job, then bought a house, had a son then a daughter (yes, a millionaire’s family). Everything has just sort of fallen into place perfectly at the perfect time. Now before you start to hate me, like I often hate bloggers who brag about all the great things they’ve done, I give credit for these “accomplishments” to God and I’m only using it as background to explain how I started to take good things in life for granted.

We live what I have always considered a frugal life: one shared vehicle, no cell phones, hand-me-down or homemade furniture, no fancy vacations…if anything I felt hard done by because I didn’t have what everyone else around me had. I felt that I deserved what I had because really it wasn’t anywhere near what everyone else around me had. 

Then within a six month period the following happened: First, my husband lost his job. A little voice said: “You think you’re hard done by? You could be without a second income, and benefits.” Then the furnace died – completely with no warning – and a little voice said: “You could be without heat.” Then the hard drive on my laptop died and a little voice said: “You could be without a computer.” Then the van wouldn’t start one day and a little voice said: “You could be without ANY vehicle.” Then the internet and dishwasher died on the same day and a little voice said: “Really, you feel deprived when you have 24/7 internet access and a dishwasher?” And I said: “OKAY! MERCY!”

Before locusts start coming through the windows, and I get boils on my skin, you can stop. I get it now. I’m exceptionally blessed and I took it for granted. We all do it. This is not me using my mad mom skills to scold you. Simply sharing a lesson I learned and will hopefully not soon forget.