Perfect: Confessions of a TinyEYE Mom
Warning: What you are about to read are the true life confessions of a mom.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything,
That’s how the light gets in.
~Leonard Cohen
Hi Everyone,
Warning: What you are about to read are the true life confessions of a mom.
You know you’re a mom if, at least once, the only place you can talk on the phone without interruption is in the pantry, behind the shower curtain, or in the van under a cover of darkness.
You know you’re a mom if, at least once, your son’s preschool teacher calls you to ask “if you could send a sleeping bag for Aiden, since no one has picked him up yet”.
You know you’re a mom if, at least once, you ask your kids to stop calling you mom, since you are done for the day.
You know you’re a mom if, at least once, you call your own mom (while hiding in the van) to ask her how she survived.
A large portion of my life involves advocating for children who need therapy services, partnering with my international team to enrich our services, and reaching out to our schools to ensure their students are receiving optimal support. Another gigantic portion of my life involves my family…all of the activities, the projects, and the highly sought after quality time. This was one of those weeks when these two precious portions were just ‘bigger than my plate’.
Fast forward to Saturday (a.k.a. the busiest day of the week these days). Today was the day we had to have our family picture taken for the church directory. I frantically yet carefully pieced together a family wardrobe and reminded everyone that we needed to look like a “nice normal family” for the church book. I had already called out “5 minutes to van time” numerous times. I knew we had to be on the road, but Taylor was upset that her hair had a gel-overdose. I stopped backcombing the back of my hair (trying to give myself some flair) to help her. Meanwhile, Aiden was playing with a balloon he received the day before. It was weighted down with a tiny bolt. He swung the balloon around and around until that tiny bolt hit him right in the middle of the forehead, leaving a perfect red shape. VAN TIME!!!
Shimmying into the church, we were immediately escorted into the photo room. I plunked down on a chair, while Trevor and the kids clumped around me. As if on a smile-timer, we simultaneously shined our grins…CHEESE.
Several minutes later, we were invited back in to view the photo. Sitting in front of the computer screen, I gasped. In my mind, I had envisioned this photo to be perfect….the photo of all photos…the family of all families. Let me tell you the reality of the moment: I never did finish my hair! Aiden had a red circle on his forehead! Yes…Taylor did have a gel overdose! For Pete’s sake…Trevor was wearing his jacket! GASP!
Then the moment happened that so often happens with me….I got it. Aiden (a.k.a. My Answered Prayer) had my hand wrapped up in his little hands. Taylor (a.k.a. My Dream Come True) was snuggled up beside me. Trevor had his hands on my shoulders and a look on his face that said “I am only here because I love my wife”. As for me…I was sitting in the middle…with all those arms around me. Looking at the picture on the screen, I know that for the first time in my entire life, I saw my entire life.
“Well, what do you think?” prompted the photographer.
“It’s perfect”, I whispered.
Take care,
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