On my ideal Mother’s Day…
I wake up to a quiet house and head sleepily outside to breathe in the fresh spring air.
It’s a crisp morning, and I have the bike trail all to myself. My body feels not a day over 25, and I push hard through the miles. I’m listening to a podcast that hits me right in the heart and mind. It’s during these times I remember who I was before I became a mom—a loner and a thinker. I haven’t lost myself, after all.
I walk in the house, greeted by giggles. Dereck is teaching the girls how to make pancakes. There are scrambled eggs and those greasy and delicious breakfast sausages that you really shouldn’t eat more than once a year. After a peaceful shower, they bring me a plate of hot food with a steaming cup of coffee (with the perfect amount of creamer) and shower me with cute and endearing comments.
I feel appreciated. Like I’m doing something right.
We have a full day. Church. Lunch with family. We all take a nap on the couch.
I get to rest today because I’m not behind on the dishes or laundry; we have food to eat for the week ahead; my work life is under control, and there are no emails or projects tugging at my attention.
It’s dinner time, and I realize I haven’t looked at my phone today.
We end the day with a family bike ride on the same trails where my day started. Bedtime is flawless and early. Everyone goes to sleep feeling appreciated.
The girls learned today. I taught them things I know, and they taught me things I didn’t. I gave them my undivided attention. I was patient, warm, and attentive.
I was a good mom, dang it. I am a good mom, dang it.
Who am I kidding?
This is my ideal everyday.
Writing this down makes me wonder where I go wrong on the less-than-ideal days.
The days where I go to sleep knowing I definitely didn’t do my best. Maybe I was tired or stressed. I probably didn’t take time for myself, and I lost my patience.
Those days feel hard.
There are a lot of blog posts about the hard days of motherhood.
What’s that all about? Are we being a bunch of brats? I am really fortunate to have a caring husband, two healthy kids, a supportive family, a career that gives me confidence, and a faith that brings me through anything I meet.
There are moms who are missing one or more of these things and are enduring truly hard times.
My mom days? They aren’t hard.
This Mother’s Day, I challenge you to shift your focus to the gift that is motherhood.
I challenge you to imagine your ideal day as a mother. You may find it’s not far from the reality of your everyday.
