Silver Linings

Motherhood is not easy. And there are times I forget to see, and I mean really see, the good things in a day because I am not fully present in the moment.  I'm multitasking or I'm thinking about the next errand or task.  It's so easy to do when you are trying to do it all: wife, mother, nurse, maid, chef, disciplinarian, comforter, errand girl, secretary, and cruise director among other things.  Sometimes I wish I had a magic wand, second wife, or maybe a house elf.  And then things happen and you realize that everything you have been working towards as a mother is really coming together and you have that  "Oh, wow" moment. That silver lining when things are overwhelming.

Thursday was one of those days.  It started like any other. I got up and took a 5:30am spin class while wishing I was staying in my warm and cozy bed. But by the end I was glad I had taken the class.  I managed to get home a few minutes earlier than usual and the kids slept in a few minutes later so I was able to get in a shower and throw in a load of laundry before walking back up the stairs to wake up the big kids for school.  As I approached their room I noticed that the light was on in their room and they were already up. Preparing myself for the fussing that usually begins from Buggy about what to wear and for Boogie to begin fussing that Buggy woke him up I was in for a surprise.

 I found Buggy halfway dressed for the day while Boogie was directing her from his bed. He was teaching her which colors matched and what to wear. Not only was Buggy getting dressed, but Buggy had picked out Boogie's clothes for the day and they remembered to add another layer because it would probably be cold. Huh. No kidding. I was pleased and headed down to make them breakfast.

The rest of the day was like that.  Little examples of love and kindness from each of the children to one another. Not to say that there wasn't the occasional fussing.  At one point, in his exuberance, Mr. Bananas was hugging and biting his siblings. We stopped him and told him that it wasn't nice and it hurt. He stopped immediately and put himself in time out without being directed. We just started doing time outs with him. He realized he had inadvertently hurt his siblings. After a little bit he asked to get up and hugged and kissed his siblings saying, "wowwy, wowwy."  (Sorry, sorry).  To which they replied, "I forgive you."

These little bits of love are my silver linings. I started this post on Friday and I am just down to finishing it (Monday night).  My days are hectic, busy, and tiring.  On Saturday it was a little harder to find the silver linings, but I'm sure if I looked I would find them...like when Mr. Bananas asked for me to read with him and we "cuggled" in our favorite rocking chair and half, or watching the kids play together by chasing each other around the house with squeals of delight, or how Mr. Bananas now climbs all over Boogie and Boogie no longer complains but lets himself be a human jungle gym for his brother. These are good things, and these are my silver linings. What are yours?