I’ve been a mom for a long time. Thirty-two years to be exact. Have I treasured every single moment of motherhood? The smiling, I love being a mommy, side of me would say, “oh yes, even the worst days were worth it.” The honest, let’s be real, side of me will tell you “probably not.”
Thirty-two years to be exact. Have I treasured every single moment of motherhood? The smiling, I love being a mommy, side of me would say, “oh yes, even the worst days were worth it.” The honest, let’s be real, side of me will tell you “probably not.”
Because, if we all admit it, there are some days that we are literally fighting to get through. And when we put our head on the pillow at night, we pray the next day is better and hope the baby sleeps long enough, because sleeping all through the night would be too much to hope for.
What have I learned in all my years of motherhood? That it’s ok to not be perfect, but we should always put forth our “perfect effort.”
This is a new phrase in my vocabulary. My husband used this term recently and I can’t tell you how much those words resonated with me. Not perfect, but the perfect effort. Most of the time I can do that… give my perfect effort. And every day that perfect effort might be a little bit more or a little bit less than the day before.
As a mom, we are faced with many, many decisions and things to remember each and every day. Everything from, no, you’ve had enough juice, to, don’t forget to feed the dog. What about when the kids are sick? Does this time warrant a call to the doctor? Or can it wait another day in hopes it’s just a 24 hour bug?
What about dinner? We’re not all Martha Stewart with a head full of amazing Pinterest wins to toss on the table each day in time for hubs to walk through the door. Sometimes it’s a frozen pizza or another round of scrambled eggs, while mom pulls the crying kids off her legs and begs them to stay out of her bubble for five minutes.
And laundry…..don’t. forget. the. laundry. This is probably the most thankless job ever. But, it has to be done. With perfection? No. It’s okay if today the whites are washed and dried but it takes til tomorrow or the weekend to get them folded and put away. The more kids you have the more craziness there is and sometimes it just isn’t going to get done.
In my days of having four kids at home with multiple things going on at any one moment in time, I remember stressing over the little things like getting that laundry washed, folded, and put on their beds only to find it on a pile on their bedroom floor the next day. Or when one of them volunteered me to give a ride to a friend… when my car was already full. And the ever full, sink piled high with dishes… that never seemed to go away.
These days motherhood is definitely easier for me and more often than not I can get the clothes washed, dried AND put away on the same day. Did I ever think that would be me? No. But, hey, I only have one child left at home and the mountain of clothes isn’t what it used to be.
So, I can tell you momma’s. It does get better. In a bittersweet sort of way.
Can you eat off my floors? Well, this ‘Joan Cleaver wanna-be’ wouldn’t ever want you to try. Are they swept? Most days. Some days they need someone to give them a little broom TLC. I love the recent reminder that my perfect effort is. good. enough.
I say all this as a note filled with love, for all of us moms who have struggled or are still struggling to keep it all together. No matter where you are on your journey, it’s a season. And seasons change. Sometimes within a blink of an eye. And, suddenly you will realize you washed the dishes, swept the floor AND made dinner, all in one day. It really does come, mommas. It may not seem like it now, when your arms are full, your tired, and you can’t imagine doing one more task. But, it does come.
