Let’s Carpe the Heck out of this Diem!
For every stay-at-home-mom who’s complaining on her blog about her lack of appreciation (ahem, like me), there’s another mom sitting in a cubicle, dreaming of spending time with her little ones. She glances over at their faces in the 5×7 frame, and counts the hours and minutes until she can ooze into her front door after a long day of work to a chorus of “Mommy! Mommy! We’re so glad you’re home!” She would give anything to be in my shoes, but she can’t. She’s the sole bread winner, or the insurance carrier, or the single parent.
For every hair I pull out of my head while my children are driving me crazy, there’s another mom thousands of miles away, with sand in her hair and her combat boots. It will be months, not hours or minutes, until she holds her child again. She would give anything to be in my shoes, but she can’t. Her tour isn’t over until February, and she’s making the most of mommy time she can through Skype calls and frequent Facebook posts.
And for every time minute of solitude I long for (just an empty house and a bathroom I can use alone for pete’s sake), there’s another woman out there who longs for a full house, for a full womb. Her arms are empty. She would give anything to be in my shoes, but she can’t. Her dreams of bringing a child into this world will never come true. Empty. Alone. These are things that she dreads, not that she embraces.
So in honor of my sisters out there, I’m carpeing the heck out of this diem. I’m picnicking on the front porch, picking wildflowers, giving wagon rides, spoiling with kisses, making each hug last a little longer. I not only smelled the roses, I cut them and put them in a vase. I not embraced that life is sometimes like a bowl of cherries, I cut them up and put them in muffins. The cleaning will wait. The stressing can wait. I will enjoy my children. I will caress their faces. I will dance in these shoes, for all those who can’t.
love this post!! I’m at my desk watching the clock right now…ugh! play tickle monster for me please 🙂
Will do. 🙂 Hang in there momma!
What a great post! This made me tear up, thank you for well, being thankful. Me and my hubby are working hard so that we can ‘afford’ to have children. (I know, you never can afford them, but we have no health insurance currently) When we see people who lug their kids around like a burden, it infuriates us!
“I will dance in these shoes, for all those who can’t.” Until it’s my turn, so glad to know someone is doing it, and loving it. 🙂
We struggled with infertility (briefly) after losing our first baby, and I think it gave me a deeper appreciation for what a gift children truly are. But, I have to admit I lug my kids around sometimes. (They weigh a ton, after all.) Blessings to you on your parenthood journey!
Great post! Also at my desk watching the clock 🙁
Hope you enjoyed your reunion tonight! 🙂
I’m one post behind sorry…outstanding .. love it .. love you Dad
And I love YOU!
After she was diagnosed with a terminal illness, legendary columnist Erma Bombeck wrote that one of her regrets in life was that she didn’t have friends over more often. The house was just too messy for company, she often told herself. She recognized it was the people who mattered, not the setting.
In short, don’t fret about how messy the house is at a given moment. Do just what you’re doing – enjoy the moments when they present themselves. With young children, it’s going to seem like you live in the middle of a cyclone anyway.
Besides, who wants to live in a museum????
A museum? I’d settle for the cleanliness of a petting zoo at this point. 🙂 Thanks for your thoughts Stan!
Man, this was so touching, i can’t even be funny! That’s so annoying.
Oh, just wait, I’m sure you’ll find something to laugh at sooner or later. 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
This post is so true! We always want what we cant have, it always looks greener on the other sid. It is very rewarding to be able to comfort your child when they are sick, they can be in the comfort of home with mom.
Yes, and I have noticed they get sick less often! 🙂 I, on the other hand, have had many more back injuries thanks to the hefty Miss Erica. She’s worth it, though.
Love this. I was just complaining how small our house is (compared to our old one) & how I feel like we are on top of each other and then I stopped by my house with a co-worker and she was oohing and aahing and talking about our fancy neighborhood. (it’s not but from her perspective it is). Great reminder to be grateful for what you do have b/c someone else has a lot less.
See? It’s good to get that perspective sometimes. I could have never been a pioneer woman! Now THEY had it rough…
Embraced my kids, now on to the grandkids. Life can’t get any better because i can spoil them and then send them HOME!!!
Lovely piece, Cat. “The days are long, but the years are short” is something my (stay-at-home) mom told me years and years ago, even before I had kids, and I took it to heart. My goal is always to make the most with whatever time I have with my kids. Unless they’re practicing violin and/or trombone. Then I leave the house.
Aww, thanks Suzanne. That means so much coming from you. And I can’t even imagine what lies ahead in our house. Anna already said she wants to play the bass drum! 😉