Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there.
I must admit that I'm not feeling "it" all that much today. I had a couple of rough days with the kids of late, and I'm not feeling like the best mom today. It's made me reflect a little about such things.
Whenever I am able to draw better, I plan to draw out two pictures - one entitled "what I thought motherhood would look like", and another "what motherhood turned out to look like" or something similar. Until I can put an image on paper, you will just have to use your imagination...
What I thought motherhood would look like - Picture a woman, dressed nicely in a summer dress, pearls, maybe not high heeled shoes, hair in place, you know, polished looking (a Stepford wife). Husband in his tie, standing next to her, arm around her. Three little girls in the picture, all wearing Sunday dresses with hair neatly arranged. The oldest girl, age 5, has 3 gold medals around her neck, probably from 3 different sports. The Olympic committee obviously made an exception on the age requirement because of her tremendous skills. The middle child at age 3 is reading a book on Advanced Physics and has 3 PH D's already in other fields. The baby is on mom's hip, playing the violin. All is a picture of happiness and perfection. I might also mention, that the house surrounding them has been featured in several magazines because of it's neat, orderly, yet completely beautiful appearance.
This is what my life really looks like - Picture a woman, dressed in cut off shorts, hair in a lopsided ponytail, feet in socks, face twisted somewhat because the baby on her hip is pulling her hair. Husband is in the background, on the computer. Three little girls are in the picture. The oldest, age 5, is doing cartwheels in the kitchen, knocking a dishrag onto the stove and it catches fire. The naked 3 year old has climbed the kitchen cabinets in order to take a flying leap for the lighting fixture, so she can swing from it like a monkey. Baby is simultaneously biting mommy and pulling her ponytail, and SHE is the one crying. House surrounding them is full of miscellaneous clutter.
OK, so maybe no fires have actually been set...yet. But some days being a mom in my house feels like the above. I'm sure in reality it is somewhere between the two pictures. Luckily, I have found quilting. The calm, quiet of it brings balance to my chaotic life. And, of course, there are moments I wouldn't trade for anything.
Happy Mother's Day.
Jen
Happy Belated Mother's Day Jen! No doubt three young daughters are a handful. Cherish these chaotic adventures with your precious girls. My children are 30 and 26, both married, following their dreams, thousands of kilometres away from me. Time has flown by in the blink of an eye.
ReplyDeleteLoved the visual, Jen. Thanks for making me laugh.
ReplyDeleteLove this post, and having been through the "fire" and looking back from the other side, watching my children now become parents, it is the scene from the second visual that you will remember, treasure, and laugh at (one day. Both scenes are extreme, but I'd take the second one any (well maybe not any, and hopefully not every) day. Your family sounds wonderful, and I am glad you have quilting as a refuge.
ReplyDelete