Confessions of a working mom…
Firstly, let me start this confession with a simple two paragraph caveat…
It’s never easy, is it? No matter how I slice it, there’s never enough of me to go around. Sometimes it feels like I might just break, crack, or crumble, but I don’t. Somehow, I make it. And at night, when the house is quiet for a few moments and everyone is safe in their beds, I feel victorious. I feel like I just closed a big deal, sans the money to show for it of course.
When I’m in the thick of a particularly challenging day, it’s tough to see light at the end of the tunnel. But I remind myself over and over again just how blessed we are to have our health. Too many of my friends have children facing major health concerns and I know that our challenges are small. Still, they are the challenges I face and the challenges I know. With that said, please forgive the following rant. It is only meant to provide other moms with some insight, support, and comfort in knowing…you are not alone and you are a wonderful mom! Keep it up! This mommy thing is the toughest job in the world. Own it. You rock!
Today was not a particularly great day. It started off by learning, via email, that another settlement company thought it was handling one of my closings for my clients. This was in the midst of getting the twins ready for preschool, helping my son get dressed, getting breakfast on the table, nursing the baby, getting her ready for the day, and putting the house back in order before loading the kiddos in the car. Oh, and trying to look presentable before leaving the house, i.e. mascara, concealer, a ponytail, and activewear of couse!
Instead of focusing on and exclusively talking to my kids, I spent the ride to school and the next several hours on the phone, intermittently calling and emailing with my clients, the bank, and another attorney. Working moms: you know it is nearly impossible to keep calm, maintain professionalism, and keep a lid on the kids all the while. (BTW, the only reason I’m doing it is to provide for them!)
To top it all off, I tried to get my son a haircut and take him to breakfast. That’s our normal routine on Thursdays when the twins are at school. (I know that next he’ll be in kindergarten next year and this is precious time to spend together, just us, and the baby of course.) Although most weeks it goes well, today it was a disaster. We got settled at the table, started working on letters and simple addition problems on the placemat, and then…DISASTER! The food arrived and despite using the restroom immediately before leaving the house, my son had to use the restroom again. Everything stopped. I stopped feeding the baby, stopped cutting up my son’s breakfast, stopped drinking my already cool coffee, collected all of our things, and we headed toward the dreaded public bathroom. Then it happened…we didn’t make it in time.
Through tears, soaked sweatpants and shoes, and disappointment, we walked back through the restaurant. My sweet son had to stand next to the table as I held the baby, boxed our food, collected our to go order for the twins, cleaned up the baby’s placemat, seat cover, etc., and paid for our meal. The worst part, or possibly the only thing that saved me, was that our waitress was another mommy from the baby’s Kindermusik class. Although it was embarrassing, I’m grateful it was another mommy and someone I knew.
Heading back to pick up the twins, my son sat in his car seat with the baby’s seat liner beneath him. Defeated, the poor guy was silent. As soon as we arrived at the school, an incoming call pierced the silence in the car. It was the bank call that I had been waiting for all morning. The call that would confirm that all was well with my closing and we were back on track. I had to take it. I also had to look like a terrible mommy, on the phone instead of welcoming the twins into the car as their teacher loaded them in. Simultaneously, my son started yelling, “I have to go potty…I HAVE TO GO POTTY!”
With any semblance of professionalism gone, I ended my phone call and braced for the ride home, hoping we don’t have yet another accident…no. 2…in every sense of the word.
Finally, we were home. We made it. Whew.
Crisis averted on the work front. Crisis averted on the home front.
All before noon. Bring it on THURSDAY, bring it on!