This week has been far too long and quiet. A house that is usually turned upside down with toys every which way and full of noise, has been neat and silent. I absolutely hate it. Waking up in the mornings no longer included sleepy little eyes and mismatched clothes, instead they were calm and collected and I even had enough time to put on makeup prior to leisurely gliding out the door; dare I even say running early. There was no need to rush home and get dinner started…or picked up… and I didn’t have to wake up at night to fix a bottle or tuck anyone back in. I didn’t enjoy any of it. I missed sleepy eyes and hearing “Mommy can we get tacos” at 6 in the morning. I missed the laughter and sound of feet slapping against the hard wood floor. How was I ever supposed to make dinner without my little helper there to hand me ingredients? Aaron and I have talked before casually about if we could go back and do it all again would we wait longer to have children…..this week confirms that I was right when I looked at him and told him it was blasphemous, I would absolutely not change a thing. I don’t care if it’s the same kids just 5 years later, I wouldn’t be the same person because those children have shaped me as a woman and as a Mother. I am me, because I learn from them. All of this time away missing them has led me to do some thinking… I read stories every single day that make me want to just leave work and go hug my children. There is so much bad in this world and I just want to keep them close and safe…I realize this is a normal crazy Mom thing but at times it’s a bit of an overwhelming feeling. Now, I am not a perfect parent, I wish I spent more time with my children and could work less, I wish I didn’t get frustrated on occasions, and Lord help me, I could most definitely use some more patience, but what is important is that those kids are my life and they will never go a day without knowing that. When I became a parent my goal was simple: I wanted a happy child. I didn’t care what I had to do, as long as that baby girl was provided for, happy and healthy. We wanted a safe car for her to ride in, clean clothes for her to wear, food for her to eat and a roof over her head with space of her own. We gave up a lot to give her those things…we gave up our dreams to make sure that she could have dreams of her own. Becoming a Mother has been my greatest accomplishment in life, I have been blessed with two absolutely wonderful children and I am beyond grateful for their health and that we are able to provide a pretty decent life for them. So, this week while they were away I started thinking about the things that I don’t really appreciate until I realize they are no longer something that I get every day and I thought I’d share a bit of wisdom from a child-sick Mommy.

I know what it’s like to be busy, I am a Mother who works full time for a corporation and it pretty much consumes my life and on top of that I am working on running my own business…which I feel like runs the other half of my life and then of course there is a Husband in the picture and a house that has to be cared for, yard and herd of family pets included. I literally don’t stop moving from the moment I get out of bed. So, I know what it’s like to come home exhausted. Sometimes when you get home you just want a little silence, but there’s this little creature there waiting for you that wants nothing but to be as loud and obnoxious as possible and cling to your dress….generally that really makes me think I should just make a glass of wine part of my daily ritual but in hindsight, I should really be elated that my kids want anything to do with me. They are little, they have no idea what you deal with at work all day and frankly they don’t care, all they know is that they waited all day JUST FOR YOU TO GET HOME. You are the best part of their day, how special is that? It took a while for this to sink in with me but as soon as I realized it my whole attitude changed. You want to play ponies? Alright, I won’t even take my heels off! You want to help me cook or clean? ABSOLUTELY! You only get one chance when it comes to parenting a child (however, multiple children = testing out a variety of methods) but, it’s important to just do it right the first time. Right is a broad term for sure, if your kids grow up to not end up in Jail, then you did okay. I also learned that as much as I love my free time, time with them is more valuable than anything. It’s priceless; you’re making memories and teaching the values of family. I am bad about “well I worked all week and I really just need a break” Realistically what I need is to suck it up. Make time for family. That right there is a golden statement. Life makes a habit of passing us by. I can’t remember the last time I talked to someone many-a-years older than myself and they didn’t have something they wanted to go back and do differently. They wished they’d spent more time with their families, MADE time. Been a better partner to a spouse and a better friend. It seems to be a pattern really, so why not change it now? Life is not written in stone and there isn’t a guide we must follow, how we choose to live is our own decision. So why not start living today in a way that tomorrow will thank you for? Make time for your kids, put yourself in their shoes, love constantly and unconditionally. Make today a day that tomorrow can look back and smile on, time is never promised and banking on second chances is just as risky. Put the computer down, turn the cell phone off and pick up your babies, they won’t be like this forever.

As Always,

With Love From Betty