The kitchen counter. Stay at home moms all have our one thing that makes us feel like we might be in control. Mine is my kitchen counter. Kids engaging in WWF wrestling? Toddler screaming while being permanently velcroed to my calf? It ACTUALLY being cloudy with a chance of meatballs?
I do not care if the heavens have opened and giant chili cheese dogs are bouncing off my front porch.
I can’t control everything – but I can control one thing: and that is my kitchen counter. If you need me, I will be wiping it down for the 102nd time today.
Feeding people. I serve up three meals a day so that people can cry, fall on the floor in convulsions, and agonize over which is better: my cooking – or- starving. Then they choose starving…because my food is just. that. bad.
Insert eternal eye roll.
And then the Lord gave us wine. Thank you, Lord.
Grocery Shopping. I am making moral decisions at the grocery store.
Do I spend my life savings on organic – and feel very good about my healthy and conscientious choices?
Or…
Do I fill my cart with hormones and pesticides and feel like a money-saving boss?
Life is so complicated.
I cope by buying mostly organic and hitting up Dairy Queen on the way home for lunch…because balance.
We are not searching for unsolicited advice.
Things you can do instead of giving me advice:
Clean my minivan.
Get me a Roomba that eats toys.
Pour me a coffee.
Tell me I’m pretty.
That is all.
We are not judging you.
You know what I don’t have time for?
I do not care if your kid eats fruit snacks or cucumbers. I don’t care if you homeschool or are a working mom. I just don’t even care.
I don’t care if you don’t want kids or are on the career track. I say more power to you – and please while you’re up there, break a few glass ceilings for my girls, would ya?
I don’t think my life is harder or that I’m some sort of martyr. I think that this is exactly what I chose to do – and sometimes it is hard because that is the nature of things that matter. Just like any great dream, it is worth the cost.
Things worth believing in are also worth fighting for. Sometimes that looks like hard work and sacrifice.
These kids – they are my dream.
And I believe in them 100%.
You do you, my friend.
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This post about stay at home moms originally appeared at the WONDEROAK blog. Follow them on Facebook at WONDEROAK Blog, too!
