Tis the season to be THANKFUL, and it has gotten me thinking
about the way I think as a mom. I thank
Jesus all the time for these two sweet little souls I get to call my babies,
but how often do I give thanks in my daily life? How often am I grateful for
the day-to-day small tasks that make up my days as a mom? While there are big “mom moments” from time
to time, most of my days are made up of not-so-glamorous things like changing
diapers, wiping hands and picking up toys.
Even small tasks that used to be simple before I had kids can be quite
challenging, so sometimes giving thanks doesn’t come naturally.
Take going to the grocery store, for example. Before I had kids, I would put on my shoes,
grab my purse, and maybe even stop for a latte on the way. I pulled into my parking spot, got out of the
car, did my shopping and paid at the register.
Now, it looks something like this:
“Cole, let’s get dressed and change your diaper, because we are going to
the grocery store to get your chocolate cookie nice.” (yes Cole thinks that is
the sole reason we go to Publix is for his free cookie, and yes he calls it a
chocolate cookie “nice.") Cole’s typical
response, “No grocery, no cookie (now I just know he is being difficult,) wear
my jammies, no shoes.” Perfect. The next few minutes are spent
negotiating/threatening/bribing/whatever it takes to get him to lay down for
a diaper and wardrobe change and get him out the door. Sometimes I pack a snack, since he clearly
needs something to eat on his way to get his chocolate cookie nice. We say goodbye to our friends on the Disney
Channel (thank you Jesus for Mickey Mouse ClubHouse,) and I strap him into his car
seat. While I am loading Annie into the
car, Cole usually has some sort of complaint or issue that needs immediate
attention. I usually hand Annie a bottle
while I tend to his emergency, since the sweet child feeds herself these days.
On the way to the store, Cole yells from the back seat, “Cole
no like THAT song” about pretty much every song. When we arrive, I get him out and tell him he
has to hold on to Mommy’s leg while I unload Annie. I then tell him he needs to hold my hand as
we walk across the parking lot, which is usually very upsetting to him, since
he would prefer to run in front of oncoming traffic. As we walk into Publix, he has a long debate
about which car he would like to drive.
I juggle Annie in one arm and ask him to hold onto my leg and not to
touch ANYTHING until I can give the car a “carwash” (AKA wipe it down with
fifty tiny wipes.) While I am wiping the car, Annie is leaning down and licking
the steering wheel, which gives me heart palpitations thinking about those
germs. I finally get the kids into the
car. Cole makes it clear that Annie is
not allowed to drive, and sits on her, which makes her cry. This is all before we step foot inside the
actual store. I mean, Lord help me, I am
already sweating.
Between boring mundane things like picking up toys off the
floor, and tasks that are meant to be simple becoming major events, like going
to the grocery store, it is SO easy as a mom to have a bad attitude. It is easy to complain, and it is easy to
think about the days before leaving the house was an Olympic event. I saw something on social media recently,
though, that really changed the way I have been thinking. Many of you probably saw it. It was a list of things that people may
complain about, and beside it a reason to be thankful. For example, “Dishes to do: means food to
eat.” What a wonderful way to transform
your thinking; so simple, yet so powerful. It is amazing what an attitude of
gratitude does for your soul, and how it changes the simple tasks into things
to be thankful for. Piles of laundry to
fold means I get to be a mom and wife to this amazing family that has clothes
to wear….and a lot of clothes at that!
Thank you Jesus for these clothes to fold. Thank you for these diapers
to change, because it means I get to care for my sweet babies, and thank you for this house to clean, because it means I have a house (and it's a house that I love).
While going to the grocery store may not
be the easiest task, it is time spent with my PRECIOUS babies that will only be
this little for so long, and I am SO thankful for that. As we walk into the store and straight to
the bakery, I watch Cole ask for his “chocolate cookie nice” with a smile on
his face in the sweetest little voice.
He politely says please and thank you to the lady at the counter, and he
is sure to “no share” that cookie with his sister…and my heart is filled
with gratitude. Thank you Jesus for these moments at the grocery store.
