Today I am Mother. Actually, this morning I was Rotarian and this evening I will be Wife, but in between, I am Mother. Yesterday I was salesman, secretary, PR Director, Vice President, friend, sister and for a very brief moment while drinking a beautiful latte, I was just Chantelle. But today I am Mother and today is a good day. Today I am also princess (actually I get to be Snow White – you know the scene where the 7 dwarves discover her in their beds and they are all ready to chop her up with their axes and picks, yep, that’s the scene we recreate!) and pirate and recently I am fisherman (I even get to hold the fishing rod every once in a while). I am the big fisherman and the boys are little fishermen and surprise, we catch fish. It’s fun because it’s always exciting to them. Like the 1,000th time it is still exciting! (I’m also excited about the number 1,000 because my 3¾ year old just learned to count to 1,000.)
Some days it is harder and takes more effort to stir up energy, but not today. Today the sun is shining and I can FEEL spring coming. And not just spring, but the hope and the joy and the warmth that it brings. Today my boys are at 75% hugs and 25% hits – it’s a very good day. We usually average about 50/50 so when hugs and helps outnumber hits and pushes, all is good.
Today it is not about me, and sorry, it’s not about you either. It is not even about the house or the to-do lists. Today is about them - it is about the two cheeky monkeys who have turned my living room into a farm, my bedroom into a jumping pillow pile, my kitchen into Rice Krispie central, and the balcony into a fishing boat.
Today is about explaining, while keeping a serious face, why aiming the fishing rod INTO little brother’s face, really actually isn’t a good idea and is also about wishing there was some way I could effectively sneak vegetables into Rice Krispie squares.
By the grace and strength I’ve been given to be Mother for today I am extremely grateful, and so I must complete the work of fishing and feeding and snuggling. What a good day.
