I work hard all week long as a REALTOR in Western MA, but the job that is most important is my job as a Mom.
I am the proud mother of a 10 year old and 6 year old girl. These two ladies light up my life, and bring me much joy, but as I reflect upon my decade as a mom, well…I see some pretty big changes.
#1- FREE TIME: While fairly minimal at all points in my life, free time has become one with the dinosaurs. When I am not working as a REALTOR, I am helping with homework, driving, cleaning, doing laundry (dratted laundry), cooking, grocery shopping, taking out the trash, watching yet another iCarly (barf), reading a cute book with the girls (yay!), helping with homework (because it still isn’t finished!), issuing a grounding, fetching a snack or any other in the number of “normal” activities that moms do.
#2- CLEAN: I have discovered that clean is relative. Clean before kids was white glove stuff. Clean now is,well…let’s just say an ever changing barometer is used to determine the proper level of clean. There is “I am fried this is clean enough clean”, “It is cleaner than it WAS clean”, “I will finish cleaning it tomorrow clean”, and the ever amusing “I am cleaning this until it shines clean and you will all help me goshdarnit clean”.
#3- PHONE TIME: There is no way to make a phone call when there are kids around. They can be napping, watching TV in the zone, playing contentedly but as soon as they see a phone in your hand they are needy , loud and insistent.
#4- ENTERTAINMENT: You used to see R rated sexy movies. You used to see mature comedy. You used to go to grown up concerts. Now you watch Disney movies and are grateful for the peace and quiet and the last concert you attended was the Wiggles or maybe Hannah Montana, if you were lucky.
On the flip side, you never realized how much you really really really need:
#1- HUGS: given for no reason, at a moment’s notice or upon request, there is nothing sweeter than a hug from your child.
#2- UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: What is better than “Mommy, you are so pretty, I love you”?
#3- PURPOSE: There is nothing more motivating than children. Each day I think I might give up and then I don’t. They are why.
#4- BEAUTY:Children slow you down and force you to see the beauty in things you would overlook. Suddenly you are peering at a caterpillar in a whole new light.
#5- PRIDE: I know, this is meant to be a sin, but I am so darn proud of my kids and that makes me happier than anything.
My mothering is imperfect and flawed, but I am happiest when working as a mother. I learned from the best of the best…my mother: Shelley (Sheila) who learned from her her mother and my kindred spirit: Myrtle Ryan.
These women sculpted me and are with me always. When I struggle as a mother I do one of two things: I call my mother or I ask myself, “What would Grandma Myrtle do?”.
Often I find the answer within myself, but I know who planted the seed of that answer…Shelley and Myrtle.
So, they weren’t perfect, but they loved me and did a great job. I am really, really not perfect, but I hope I will, too.
Enough with the deep , here is a bit of Mother’s Day Fun for you:
So, Happy Mother’s Day all you members of the “MUTHAHOOD”. Keep busting caps on the toothpaste!
By the way, if you were having a hard time deciding what to get me for Mother’s Day, I can help out….send me a referral! I love helping new people buy and sell their homes in Western MA!
