Hey Mama, I See You

Hey, you. Yes, you! 

You, the mom with the messy bun and unwashed shirt that is stained with a substance you think is coffee.  You sneak a sniff, and confirm that yes, it is coffee. Well, it was coffee. 

I see you. We see you.  

You have piles of laundry sorted into dirty, clean, and suspicious. Sometimes, you sort the colors and feel accomplished. Other times, you throw them all together. Unavoidably, there will be a time or two when you regret buying anything red, and make your son rock a pink onesie. (Been there, done that.)

You are a chauffeur by day, transporting kids or toddlers to and from various activities. Always, you are equipped with snacks because someone is bound to be hungry. You clean up toys that seem to grow legs of their own, and clean up cup after cup after cup. You are a short-order cook, snot-wiper, healer of all hurts, and you are just freaking awesome. 

But, you don’t feel like it. You may feel lost in your identity. You may envy those who get to leave the house and go somewhere adults can be found. Maybe you miss going to lunch or running errands by yourself. Or, maybe you are filled with joy and gratitude from the privilege of being with your kids.

It’s okay either way. It really is. You are awesome, needed, and your littles think you hung the moon. 

Hey, you. Yes, you! I see you, too.

The mom with half-dried hair and business clothes at 7:00 a.m. You are putting on pumps while hopping to the door to make a morning meeting. You will probably pinch your cheeks for color and put on lipstick in the car.  If you are like me, you hope the car AC will dry your hair in time to run a straightener through it in the office.

Yet, despite the morning hustle, you pack backpacks, school lunches, and manage to feed and herd children out the door. Sometimes, the kids are the first ones at school. Other times, you forget to bring the dang cupcakes for a class party. And, hopefully on more than one occasion, you find an extra hour in your day to surprise your kids with Chick-Fil-A for lunch at school. 

You manage multiple calendars: work, personal, kids’ school, kids’ sports, birthday parties, and doctors’ appointments. More times than you can count, you have shown up to swim meets or baseball games in business casual, and curse your heels as you waddle across a grass field. You may feel guilt for missing out on field trips, or you may recognize that guilt, but know you are your best version of a mom despite it.

That’s okay too. It really is, either way. You are thriving, and your littles are well. 

Mamas, as we celebrate Mother’s Day, I hope you will raise a glass of something cold and pat yourselves on the back.

You are doing the best you can, and that really is all you can do. Whether you hand craft teacher presents or pick up a gift card, you are rocking it. Whether you cut sandwiches into fun shapes, or throw a Lunchable into a bag, you go, Glen Coco! And whether you get to meet friends for happy hour after work or hide in the bathroom just to have a moment of solitude, YOU, my friend, are a heroine in your own way. And how lucky you are, because you are just what your kids need.

If you are feeling lost in your identity or guilty from being spread too thin, I understand. If you don’t think anyone sees how hard you work as a mom, we do. I see you, mama who is playing princess and dragon with a baby on your hip. We see you, mama who is getting sent pictures from basketball game because you are out of town for work.

You are seen. You are appreciated. And you are awesome.