Mothering

Last week at work we had an inventory. This is a busy day, but busy in a different way then regular work days. On these days, I actually join my co-workers in the breakroom during lunch rather than sit at my desk and eat while I work.

There were about five women sitting around the table I had joined. One of those women was youngish (late twenties?) She's been married for a couple of years but hasn't had children yet. She said something about not wanting to give up her entire life and so waiting to have children a few more years.

The rest of us joined in, sharing in how kids definitely do take over your life.

I'm a good one for talking about the negatives of motherhood. I'm good at concentrating on the menial, tedious parts of day to day life.

I felt bad when lunch was over and we all went back to our counting because I'm sure we left this young women with the impression that if we could go back and undo our mother status, we would.

But I wouldn't. I would not change my daughters for anything in the world.

They are amazing. They enrich my life so much even when I'm bitching about having to get a bowl of ice cream. I'd dig ice cream out of a tub for hours a day if necessary to keep my girls happy and healthy.

The good moments, the sweet times make the tedium worht it.

I said something that afternoon about mothers having a high tolerance for bother. And we do. We can ignore the annoyances when they're interspersed with tiny arms wrapping themselves around your neck and a sweet little voice saying earnestly, "I love you, Mommy."

When your big girl asks softly each night, "Will you hold my hand and sing to me?" that takes away the frustration of the day. It makes the ice cream request worth it.

To all the moms out there who wash load after load of laundry, make meals that go uneaten, drive their children to and from activies day after day, week after week, month after month without (much) complaint, Happy Mothers Day. I hope this day reinforced to each of you that it's worth it, every sacrifice is rewarded exponentially. The love in their eyes, the joy in their voices, the sweet little arms hugging and the hands clasping each night make everything else pale in comparison.

We are the lucky ones. We are the moms.