My Overthinking

Philly Area mom, Life forever changed by adoption

It’s Mother’s Day

I wasn’t expecting a very good day.

When he told me the dates for his May trip, I wasn’t happy. You’re leaving me to parent alone on Mother’s Day? Really?

How easy it is for me to get stuck on thoughts that are all about me. I was anticipating an emotional rain cloud much like the one Eeyore brings with him. All my friends are getting special treatment and a day off today. Everyone else is receiving flowers and not doing dishes and packing lunches like I will be doing.

But, I woke up to a room flooded with sunshine and children bouncing around the house as they looked outside to see real life truck transformers that will become ferris wheels and carousels before our very eyes over the next 12 hours. I was sequestered to my bedroom while a 10 year old worked some magic in the kitchen and I was summoned to this.

mother's day breakfast

More sunshine poured into our home through emails in my inbox as I got my first glimpses of the reason why Mark is not home today.

English night 1 2014

English night 1b 2014

And, my heart swelled with pride for this man I get to stand beside and for the children who made this often self-centered woman into a mother.

It’s no day off for me today. I’m spending the afternoon taking the girls to Chinese school. The sink will still be full with dishes with I get home, tangible reminders of the happy feast little hands prepared for me. I’ll scrub them with thanks as the children gather at our front windows marveling at the sights and sounds of a carnival-to-be. Then, we’ll head out for dinner and maybe have some ice cream afterwards because that’s what we do.

Today is a good day, a very good day.

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What I really want for Mother’s Day

Dear family,
Mother’s Day is only 20 days away. I know you’re counting down to it. While I’m sure you’ve already made some big plans, just thought I’d give a little direction because that’s what mom’s do; we give directions.

Flowers and fresh strawberries and gift certificates—they are all great. Really. But, honestly, it won’t take much to make me happy this year.

I want a coffee, fixed just the way I like it. I want it the perfect shade of creamy coffee color with just a sprinkling of Splenda. I want it so hot that I can cup one of my favorite Disney World mugs in my hands and feel the warmth while I sit for a while and sip.

(the adorable card from Jane at HappyDappyBits, an Etsy seller likely an amazing mom herself)

(the adorable card from Jane at HappyDappyBits who is likely an amazing mom herself)

While I’m sitting and sipping in my pjs with my perfect cup of coffee, here’s what I don’t want. I don’t want you to tell me I’m the best mom ever. The world is a really big place. And, since the beginning of time, there have been a lot of moms—surely more than a gazillion. And, I’m fairly certain that this mom sitting seeking peace over a cup of coffee is not the best one ever. I can think of a few right off the bat who were pretty amazing—Laura Ingalls’ mom, okay so I can’t remember her name but, she was amazing. Maybe the fact that I can’t remember her name right away adds to her amazing-ness. Martin Luther’s wife Katie, she raised 6 biological children, 4 adopted children, and was known to still teach the masses who her theologian husband brought into her home. Yeah, she was pretty awesome and the supermom incarnate in the 1500s. Naomi from the book of Ruth, not only a great mom but an amazing mother in law. I mean, seriously.

I’m not the best mom ever—thank you, Pinterest, for that reminder daily. But, I want to be a good mom. Can you tell me that this Mother’s Day? Tell me I’m a good mom and one specific reason you think I’m a good mom. If you all can do that, I’ll have 5 good reminders to cling to when Pinterest says nanny-nanny-boo-boo to me, and I find myself wilting a little. Just each one of you tell me one thing I’m doing right as your mom, one specific thing. That’s what I want.

And, my coffee; don’t forget my perfect cup of coffee.

That’s all.

Mom

best mom ever card

 

What do you want for Mother’s Day? Write about it and share it here.

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Valentine, Valentine

I

YOU.
I’d love you to the moon and back. 
But, for now, I’ll stick with loving you all the way to China and back. 
Moon? China? It’s all far from home. But, there’s work to be done in China, my love. And, I am so excited to be walking along with you in that work. 

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Clean houses aren’t all they’re cracked up to be

It’s all put away–the lights, the stockings, the tree, all the festive tchatchkes (I won’t tell you how long it took me to figure out how to spell that word. hard to google something you can’t spell.)

And, the clean house that would normally make me stand back and admire proudly seems utterly depressing. Would it be appropriate for me to cry about school starting again like my 10 year old did last night?

Can’t seem to get rid of my favorite Christmas card of the year — the one where my 6 year old calls his dad by his first name and then wrote out a radio station jingle for the whole message of the card. Yeah, that one’s a keeper.

But, I guess I can take this thing down–our Jesus Storybook Bible advent reading checklist. A fresh new copy sans ampersand scribbles will grace our frig next year no doubt. Loved, loved, loved it.

In fact, we so enjoyed the readings every night at dinner that we’re keeping on keeping on with it. I did my best to cheer up the grouchy troops and started right in on the first reading tonight at dinner from Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing. It looks awesome, and I’m thinking we could all use some thoughts to make our hearts sing in this clean house. Who else is in?

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