supermom

Sometimes I feel like a D+ mom. Certainly not failing, afterall my kids do get fed and dressed on a regular basis, but every-once-in-a-while I just want to sit on the floor and cry because I just can't get it together. Do you ever have moments where you question yourself, though? I hope not---because being to hard on yourself is never fun. The problem is most of these hideous moments occur as a direct result of negligence on my part. I put off laundry...so why them am I frustrated and confused when there's nothing to wear? Generally I can take all the craziness of having two small children in stride, but every now and then, boom. I just feel it down deep. I was having a moment yesterday when I overheard this conversation. Natalie had a little friend over, he's four.

"I'm Superman!!!" (Followed by a thud which could only be explained by a jump from something high.)
"Weeeelll, I'm SuperMOM."
"I'm Superman!" (With even more emphasis then before.)
"Supermen have to have Supermoms. So I'm Supermom."
"Okay!"

Tears started to flow with that little squeeze of my heart. Have you ever wanted to just hug your child tremendously out of gratitude? I can't express how deeply this made me feel and it sure erased a lot of the deficiencies, real or imagined, I was letting get to me.

A couple of months ago we house sat/baby sat for a family while the parents went out of town. We had a campfire one night and as we were wrapping it all up I asked the kids to make sure they got all their smoky smelling clothes to me right away so I could wash them so the smoke smell would set in. One of them said the classic line, "Why? Our parents don't make us do that." So smiling I said, "You're mom must be amazing, then." Without hesitation and in complete seriousness this boy replied, "There's nothing our mom can't do. Don't you think, (his sister's name), there's nothing she can't do. She can seriously do anything. " His sister nodded. These were teenagers! Not prompted or coaxed or kissing-up. Simply sincere. Isn't that one of every mom's highest aspirations for her children to have that much confidence, respect for her? Anyway, that's just really stuck with me.