Happy Mother's Day!

I was lovingly tucking Kyle into bed last week. I was so happy I could be there do to that. I had had an extremely busy couple of weeks and my day had been hectic as well. What else is new? Kyle looked up at me and said in a shocking tone, “Mom! You look really old. You have lots of wrinkles and bags under your eyes!” The statement was given with as much surprise as it was received. Of course, as a full-time working, master’s degree seeking, mother-of-two boys, I did not have time for a complete meltdown until I woke up three days later, a Saturday morning. That was the soonest I could fit it in, complete with blubbering, unintelligible, sobbing. Scott was caught off guard and decided to take the “hands-off” approach that so many men have perfected. He told me to go shopping. I bought a really cute pair of sunglasses and a $60 face cream (at TJ Maxx for only $14.99!) which I do not think is working.
Then I began looking at recent pictures of myself. They are scarce because moms are typically the “picture-takers.” The ones I did find are revealing. It’s widely known that Math is NOT my strong suit but I have aged about 20 years since giving birth 9 years ago. A student even just told me my photo ID taken at the beginning of the year doesn’t look anything like me. This comes from yet another small-brained person with no filter and who causes me to age at double the average speed!
So I have been thinking (mostly about Botox and Collagen injections!)…I asked for the wrinkles and bags. It’s the nature of the beast (motherhood!) I asked to be the one to get up at 3 am because Kyle is having an asthma attack. I asked to be the one who worries Carson’s tummy ache could turn into Swine-Flu. I asked to be the one who teaches my children to tell the truth…which they do well. I asked to be the one to carry these boys for nine months, spending almost 48 hours in labor with Kyle, then 3 years later delivering an over 9 pound Carson (gaining over 60 pounds and stretching my stomach to places from which it will never recover without plastic surgery!)
Since plastic surgery and Botox are out of the question, I will wear my new sunglasses and accept the fact I asked to be a mother, and all that comes with the job. It’s not always easy but it is the most rewarding job there is. Kyle came home from school a couple of days ago and gave me a hand-made Mother’s Day gift from school. It was pink roses fashioned from clay and fired in a kiln. It looks like some kind of spore from the ocean but he was so excited to give it to me. I knew he was thinking of me because he knows how much I love the color pink. Just to know he thinks of me is a wonderful Mother’s Day gift. (Carson won’t let me open his gift until Mother’s Day so I will let you know what that is laterJ)
So Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms who read my blog! You all look fabulous! AND, the next time you see me, in my sunglasses, just tell me I look “Marvelous!” even if it isn’t true…’cause I just can’t fit in another meltdown anytime soon!