So, in my laughter, I still tell my PT of our plans: our exciting family plans. I am sure he doesn't know anyone like me in his real life. I must sound so old and boring. He's busy doing what twenty-somethings do...going to tons of weddings, living a carefree life with his adorable girlfriend, working in a great job!
Then when Monday comes around, I describe how our plans rolled out over the weekend. I tell him about our score of finding Honey Crisp apples for only $1.00 a pound at a road-side stand, saving us a trip to the Farmer's Market. I tell him how my two oldest kids are mastering all their swim strokes after just a few weeks with their new, super hardcore coach. I tell him that, sadly, their dad and I have to split up every Saturday morning because he's coaching number 3 in soccer while I take the others to learn from said swim coach. I tell him about the movie night I had with a girlfriend, the two of us sitting in our jammies, chomping popcorn and blondies, while watching a chick-flick. I tell him about planning for PTA and becoming addicted to The Blacklist and deciding that I really need to start taking yoga classes.
Gosh, all of these little bits of my life seem so random, but they make up who I am. They make up who we are as a family. Depending on what month it is, what season it is, what is going on at school or work, our lives do change. Each day is not actually the same. Although as parents, we often feel like we may never have a break from life droning on and on, I'm here to say that we will.
Last Saturday, I told you about the World Wide Day of Play. We were all set for a family bike ride and cleaning of the yard. Well, then the rain came! Really, like right after I finished my post. So, we played together inside instead, sans electronics.
We spent the start to our weekend doing what we would have done last weekend for the World Wide Day of Play. We absorbed the beauty of the nature that surrounds us. I swept up the acorns that cover our back deck. It's usually a job that only Mark does, but I was in the mood for some physical activity that would keep me outside in the unusually warm air. The acorns will keep dropping until who knows when, but at least they'll be clear for one day. I attempted to clear out the spider webs from the front porch, but I did chicken out of that one. They were so huge! Mark can do it later. We took a family bike ride to the park right near our house where the kids ran and jumped and slid and swung. Just awesome!
My favorite part of Friday night was when we all went out to dinner together. After a really busy week, I decided I wasn't up for cooking. We were sitting in one of those giant corner booths (that's what we need with our big brood), and amazingly, everyone behaved! We talked about our day and Halloween plans and who knows what else. I really don't remember; I just know it was relaxing and easy.
For a very long time, our dinners out were not so easy. Taking kids out in public is very unpredictable, and next time, who knows what will happen.
However, what happened this time was just magical and something that every parent dreams will happen to them. After dinner, as we were scooting out of our big booth, four adults were coming around the corner, too. We instructed our kids to stop to wait and let them pass, because one of the couples was pretty elderly. The oldest lady of the group stopped in her path, rested her hand on Mark's shoulder, and said, "You have such a nice family there."
I thanked her with a kind smile and made sure to tell the kids how proud of them we were to have a nice grandma compliment them in a restaurant. I'm here to encourage all of you moms and dads with little ones:
Please do not give up on taking them out in public!
No matter how many fits they throw at Target or the library or Red Robin or the doctor's office or church, there will come a day when you can eat in peace, and some incredible person will praise you for your lovely family! (My kids have thrown fits at all of those places...and more).
Honestly, this wasn't the first time someone has mentioned our nice family to us, but I'm sorry to say that I had forgotten about the other times until now. I really needed to hear it again this weekend. I needed to see that my family is my reason for where I am in life right now. I've also had plenty of crabby people make out-of-line comments to me about my kids' behavior in public. Ironically, those negative people are the ones who tended to stick in my mind, making me doubt my abilities as a mother. Screw them!
I'm imagining that the woman who talked to us yesterday also had a hectic journey through motherhood. She'd been in our place and could appreciate that we seem to be coming through it pretty well. For all of you out there who have given helpful hands to struggling moms and dads, or complimented the ones who seemed to be having one of those "good days," Thank You!
Next week, I know my PT will ask me how my big weekend was. Here is what I will tell him:
We had the best weekend ever! We exercised, cleaned the yard, watched The Blacklist, and a stranger complimented my family at Applebee's. How was yours?
I'd love for you to find me on Facebook:
Do you seem to remember all the difficult trips out with kids instead of the easy ones? Do all of your days seem to run together in one big blur?
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