Moms

My daughter traveled for work a few weeks ago and I volunteered for carpool. I don’t know how she does it. One gbabe gets picked up at 1pm on T/TH on navy weeks, and MWF on cardinal weeks (and the weeks alternate). The other gbabe gets out at 2:45 or 3 or 3:15 or 3:30 depending upon whether he has guitar lessons, orthodontist appointments, etc. Again, I don’t know how she does it while working full-time at a job that is stressful and demanding. Although, she is the queen of organization, and a darn good momma.

When my kiddos were little, my MIL was my go-to for sick days, free days, and all the days in between. She and my FIL spoiled them rotten, but it was comforting to know they were in good hands. What I would have given to have a picture of this 80+ year-old couple sitting on a bench at the Missouri State Fair in August (think 98 degrees with 97% humidity in the shade), patiently waiting for their gbabes to finish watching the NKOTB concert. They were those grandparents.

My mom was a SHM with 7 kids, the oldest of whom was severely disabled. I remember my mom hanging laundry on the clothesline in summer, and in the basement in winter. I even remember the glorious day when our first clothes dryer arrived. My mom cooked, canned, “sprinkled” clothes, and then ironed them the next day, all while wrangling her gaggle of kids. She was the President and founding member of an organization to support parents of children with Cerebral Palsy, and the bookkeeper for my father’s business. Later in life, she worked at an elementary school cafeteria and went to college at night to earn her degree. When she had “spare time” (somewhat of an oxymoron), she took my kids to her lake house where they swam, fished, went on boat rides, and rode go-carts.

I am grateful for the examples my mother and mother-in-law provided when I was a young mom. Now, when I’m carpooling, or driving through McDonalds, or listening to the gbabes music in the car, I get to spoil them just like they did, sans ironing and attending NKOTB concerts.

Happy Mother’s Day!