Celebrating Mom

So, it's here again. Mother's Day. Just as with Valentine's Day, I have mixed feelings about this "holiday". Probably because it seems silly to recognize the sacrifice and selflessness of {most} moms ONE day out of the year, then the remaining 364 days it's just "their job" to keep it all together. I mean, c'mon. Show us moms a 'lil love here.

But alas, Mother's Day is just a few short days away...so I'm going to let you in a 'lil secret about what I really want for Mother's Day. Let me just apologize in advance to anyone who I might offend or who thinks I'm ungrateful.  I truly do love my kids & family. Here goes...

Sometimes I think people have a very skewed view on what moms really do. Especially stay-at-home moms {which I am not technically...only part-time}. It's a tough job. Children unfortunately don't come with instruction manuals. And each kid requires different levels of our time, energy, attention, and nurturing. Let's just be honest, motherhood is a thankless job. You wipe noses, butts, messy faces, then you switch gears to laundry, dishes, vacuuming. There's always someone who wants something or isn't happy. And it never fails - that rare moment when you feel like you've got everything under control quickly vanishes as someone spills their glass of chocolate milk all over the stack of bills and important papers on the counter as someone else is yelling they need more snack to eat AND they have to go to the bathroom RIGHT NOW, which often means it's already too late. That's a pretty mild scenario. Then there are the middle-of-the-night, "Mom, I don't know how, but my sheets got all wet...but I know I didn't have an accident because I'm big now", or, "My stomach is hot... ", {followed by projectile vomiting on the carpet}, or, "Mom, I only used one piece of toilet paper, but now there's water on the floor in the bathroom" {envision the sound of gushing water} ... it's always something. Moms play the role of nurse, personal chef, custodian, housekeeper/maid, accountant {at least in my case}, event/party planner, personal shopper, scheduler, organizer, groundskeeper, waitress, dietician, meal planner, referee, household inventory manager, keeper of the peace, and about a million others I don't have time to list. Bottom line, Mom's are rock stars – even if none of us ever feel like it.

Now, on to the question everyone's been searching for an answer to – how does one celebrate a true rock star? The media would lead you to believe the best way is by giving flowers {that mom has to watch DIE, then clean up the mess they leave while in the process of DYING}, or a box of chocolates {that only adds to our waistline that we're all trying to trim down}, or a whopper gift basket full of lotions/body scrubs/sleep masks/candles {to add to our overflowing collection that's sitting in the cupboard}, or taking mom to a luxurious mile long brunch buffet {where mom ends up trying to carry 5 plates at once for her AND the kids, then has to try and clean syrup and strawberry sauce off of the kid's church clothes}, or a day at the spa {which some may enjoy, but many of us would spend the day sick thinking about how much money was spent for a day filled with awkward encounters fending off people who shouldn't have their hands there}. The commercials we see of perfectly dressed smiling children bringing their ever-so-neatly-put-together mom diamond jewelry on a silver tray are falsehoods. Pure lies. Sorry if that just burst anyone's bubble. Maybe I'm just a freakish alien mom with a heart of stone from outer space, but here's what I'd really enjoy and genuinely appreciate for Mother's day...

A day here ALONE {actually, I have issues being by myself...probably stems from being a twin, so maybe with my own Mom and a couple of close girlfriends and/or sister-in-laws} –

sipping coffee in front of the fireplace, basking in the sunshine in a quiet house {cabin}...

without hearing fighting...

or hearing someone say "Mom!"...

or having to help someone in the bathroom...

or having to get someone a snack/refill...

or having to cook a meal for everyone...

or do another load of laundry...

or frantically drive to pick someone up somewhere so we can get to the next "thing"...

Basically, I just want a day to myself. No kids. No husband. No clients. No dog. No lunch-packing. No cell service. No laundry. No meal planning. No tie-tying {yes, that one is for you, dear}. No obligations. No email. No schedule. Simply a day to sit still with a good book, some good tunes, and great company, enjoying the beauty of God's creation. That's it. Wouldn't cost a thing {besides dad's sanity}.

"She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many woman do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."
Proverbs 31:26-31 

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms. May you enjoy a relaxing day, and may you remember that you really are a rock star who has the most difficult yet most rewarding job in the world!

P.S. I wouldn't mind this if someone felt the need to physically buy me a gift, I guess. ;)