Some Might Say I'm Losing. I Call It Winning.
^^Winning: All dressed before noon with a little makeup on. Dry shampoo is a girl's best friend!^^
Sometimes when it looks as though I'm losing, I'm actually winning. I am constantly reminding myself: I'm a great mom. I'm doing the best I can... and it's enough.
Most mornings I wake with an idea of what I am going to do and accomplish that day. I thrive on routine. I love the feeling of checking off those things on my to-do list. Most of the time, however, that plan crumbles a bit. Sometimes my plan is burnt right to the ground!
Life has a way of throwing curve balls at me: A little one is cranky, someone made a BIG mess, a friend needs help, etc. The list of daily upheavals to "my plan" could go on and on. But I'm learning. I'm learning to think quickly on my feet and adjust. Some days I do just fine. Other days I feel quite frustrated. It's hard for me to let those toilets I was going to scrub go without a good cleaning one more day!
Instead, I have to remind myself of the things I did accomplish:
I fit in a workout.
I cuddled my boys on the couch to read a story.
I picked strawberries in the garden with Levi.
I babysat the neighbor kids for a while and they had a good time.
I made Jed's favorite snack.
I pushed Levi in the swing.
I showed Jed how to take a deep breath and stay calm.
It's the little victories. Because people matter more than my to-do list--especially when they're two cute little boys whom I love to the moon and back!
It's been especially hard for me to roll with the punches and keep my chin up these last few days. Bron left for Montana for two nights, which means I am a single mama for three days. The cupboards are bare and Jed is feeling sick. My plan to visit the grocery store today has been thwarted. Plus, I'm feeling really tired. (I don't sleep well without Bron by my side.)
But we did make it to the summer lunch in the park program for kids. We did eat with our friends. And I did make it into our little local grocery store for some essentials. Now Jed feels better with a little medicine and I am going to make him a delicious smoothie when he wakes up from his nap. Win, right?
No, I don't have it all together all the time. Life hardly ever runs smoothly, but I'm learning I can still have a successful day. I think I'm a good mama and an excellent wife. I try my hardest anyway. I show my love through daily acts of kindness and patience. My job isn't always easy, but my boys are happy. I love them and they love me. I'm doing the best I can and it's enough.
Yes, I am most definitely winning.
Other Winning Moments Documented in Pictures This Week...
^^How I feed the neighborhood under six crowd: outside. It's a win-win. They love it and there's minimal clean-up for me, especially when the dog eats the leftovers.^^
^^Evening dump truck sprinkler racing in their jammies! These boys have the life, I tell ya.^^
^^We visited our neighbor's cute kittens.^^
And then...
^^Jed tripped over a scooter. His face landed on the edge of a bench. Ouch! Fortunately, I don't think his nose is broken. But this is one tough kid. (We're talking about the boy who broke his leg and didn't have a cast for a week! Remember?) Jed has a high pain tolerance. I love him to the moon and back. Though he is undoubtedly tougher than I am, he is my mini me in so many ways. Heal up soon, Bud!^^
Girl you AMAZE me! I never can get half of that stuff done and I still feel inadequate. But I try to remind myself of the same things. I hugged Rory, I kissed a boo-boo, etc. It helps most of the time ;)
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ReplyDeleteLove this post! You're right, sometimes just have to remind ourselves of what we accomplished!
ReplyDeleteI love this perspective! There are definitely days when I don't feel like i am winning, but we always are, even in the smallest of ways.
ReplyDeleteI agree, that to-do list can be hard to forget about and put away sometimes.
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