a not so pear-fect day

Like my pun? :) Just to keep things real and remind me of the everyday, I have to jot down a few thoughts I had from today. Of course, now that my children are asleep and I was able to sneak away for a few hours tonight (to stock up on diapers and other things), it's hard to remember that I felt so frazzled and stressed just a few hours earlier. But I promised I would record what real life is like sometimes.

It started with MoJo. It was my turn to host. And I had this fairy-tale vision of what it would be. I planned songs to sing along with the guitar, a fall-leaf hunt, a bubble-wrap painting project, homemade play-doh for National Play-Doh day and had prepared a fun little weather chart. It was nothing the children did or didn't do, but the entire time I just felt stressed. Blake had little interest in the art project, the kids wanted to run from one room to the next and I just didn't know how to handle it all. I guess there is a reason I wasn't an elementary teacher.

Mothering is a humbling experience and although this preschool incident is just one tiny little thing, it made me realize how much I need to learn about loving and letting go of my unrealistic expectations.

As the kids were leaving, Blake and his friend Denae decided to make cups of oatmeal. They decided that keeping it in their cups wasn't enough, but that the floor needed to be painted with it. And Denae was having too much fun to make it to the bathroom.

After lunchtime and naps (and letting go of everything to watch a movie with Blake, while snacking on way too many Cheetos that were supposed to be for October) I decided that we would have a great little outing to Grandpa's house since he had asked him to help pick pears and raspberries.

But again, trying to get out the door was a nightmare. It took almost an hour to just leave. I ran back in like 50 times to get things I kept forgetting. I just about gave up, but realized we all needed some fresh air.



Once there, I started picking, but Evelyn got into the rotten pears infested with bugs. Her shirt has raspberry stains on it. Blake had no interest in listening to any word I said. And so we left with very few raspberries.  And a stressed-out mom.

As we drove away, I said a little prayer in my heart and the impression came, "this shall be but a small moment." It's true. This stage of life with my two best little friends by my side nearly every minute of every day will be fleeting. And I know I just need to enjoy it. I know we were supposed to have them close to each other for a reason. I think one of those reasons is to teach me to chill out.

^Blake was more interested in watching the bees eat the rotten pears

Here's to a better day tomorrow. A more relaxed me. :) Because I really am the luckiest mom and have no right to complain compared to single moms and other moms who do a lot more by themselves than I do!