[bctt tweet=”I wonder what my life as a mom looks like to those looking in from the outside. #momlife #moms “]
I had one of those mom moments the other day while out shopping. I wanted to ask the person next to me in line at the checkout counter, who was staring at me quizzically, “What do you see?” I wasn’t upset. I was just curious. And I readily admit:
- I’m that mom who you see in the store busily talking to someone on the phone with her cell phone tucked between her ear and her shoulder. I think I should be paid for my contortionist skills!
- I’m that mom who burns the ground beef in the skillet while she makes dinner. As a half-empty nester mom, I’m definitely so over cooking! I’m wondering if I’d like cooking more if I wore one of those cute retro aprons that are popular right now.
- I’m that mom who you see with her daughter and granddaughter in tow while shopping. Someone has to take the lead, and it’s difficult to chase a two and a half year old around the store. Her own mommy does a great job of that.
- I’m that mom you see driving with her daughter in the passenger seat and her granddaughter riding along buckled in her car seat in the back of the car. Maybe I need to buy a chauffeurs hat for these moments. Something tells me that my granddaughter would get more of a kick out of it than my daughter!
Looking a little deeper:
- Yes. I was that mom you saw busily talking on the phone while following her husband around Home Depot while he shopped for his project needs. I was talking to my youngest daughter who lives over a 1,000 miles away from me. We don’t get to talk much so when she calls, I pick up my phone. She’s my daughter, and this is what we do as moms. (of course not while driving unless hands-free)
- Yes. I’m that mom who burned the ground beef the other night while making dinner. Even though I don’t like to cook anymore, back in my younger mommy years, I still burned the ground beef in my haste to provide a good dinner for my family. I do try! Again, that’s what we do as moms.
- Yes. I’m that mom with her daughter and granddaughter in tow with her while she shops. My daughter and granddaughter happen to live with me, and on occasion, they join me when I go shopping. One of the blessings of having an adult child still living at home is that he or she can help with responsibilities such as shopping.
- Yes. I’m that mom you see driving to the store with her daughter sitting in the passenger seat and her granddaughter, buckled in her car seat, sitting in the back of the car. In addition to bipolar disorder, my daughter lives with anxiety. Sometimes driving can trigger this anxiety. Even though I can’t take it away for her, or fix it for her like I wish I could do, I can help. Driving is one way that I can help her if needed. This doesn’t happen that often. However, when it does, I’m there for her.
[bctt tweet=”Yes. I’m that mom who burned the ground beef the other night while making dinner. #mom #cooking”]
Isn’t this what we do as moms? We do what we can, when we can, the best we can. Therefore, to the person who was looking at me quizzically in the store the other day, perhaps you are a mom, and if so, I imagine that you get me! And if not, it’s okay. I’m proud of the fact that I’m a half empty nester mom who has contortionist moves like no other, who burns dinner in her haste to care for her loved ones, who stays out of her daughter’s way while her daughter tends to her little one, and who helps her daughter cope with mental illness. And that adorable little one you see in the picture, she’s my granddaughter, and I get to spend the most beautiful moments with her just like that time at the beach when she was curious to know what was inside a water bottle. I’ve got this. It doesn’t really matter what others see. This mom wouldn’t change a thing, well; I might start wearing that retro apron!