Being a mum is lying. Yes, that squeaky rendition of Twinkle Twinkle on the recorder is beautiful! Not much longer. We’re almost there! It doesn’t taste that bad. Plaid and stripes are a fantastic combo! Your blue hair really shows off your eyes.
Being a mum is telling the truth. I don’t know. It’s broken. It’s going to hurt for awhile. Time heals (but not everything can be fixed). Life isn’t fair.
Being a mum is saying “No” when it’s hard and “Yes” when it’s harder.
Being a mum is lemonade stands, sand castles, and snowmen.
Being a mum is fevers, thermometers, and sleepless nights.
Being a mum is always taking the smaller half of the cookie.
Being a mum is slobber running down your cheek from open mouth kisses, paint on your shirt from spontaneous mid-craft hugs, and half-eaten food in your pockets and purse at all times.
Being a mum is yelling when your child breaks a vase, squirts you with the hose, or spits gooey, pink medicine out all over the couch and carpet because (even though he’s sick) You. Have. Had. It. And sometimes you are your worst self.
Being a mum is having stuff stuck in your hair, like jelly, or vomit, or the plastic, handheld fan your 4-year-old tried to “cool you off with” that wound itself into your tresses and made a nest, which you will likely have to cut out later.
Being a mum is looking into the worried eyes of the kid who tangled up your hair (maybe not by accident) and laughing hysterically; choosing forgiveness over shame because sometimes you are your best self.
Being a mum is constant, and steady, and sure. It’s no-matter-what and for-always.
Being a mum is forgiveness, and apologies, and absolution. Every. Single. Day.
Being a mum is a noun, a verb, and an adjective at any given time, and all at once.
Being a mum is discouraging, and heart-wrenchingly draining, and rewarding, and soul-satisfyingly wonderful.
Being a mum is a craft to be honed, a work in progress, a circuitous route to an unknown destiny.
Being a mum is a leap of faith.
Being a mum stretches you to the ends of all that is reasonable, and is a full-time, round-the-clock, never-stopping endurance test.
Being a mum is something that once you’ve known it, you wouldn’t trade for anything in the world; even though sometimes, it would be nice to take a vacation.
Hi, I’m Jacque. Mother. Wife. Teacher. Writer. Caffeine & Music Enthusiast. Reader of Everything. Believer in Truth, Kindness, and Humor. Server of Sarcasm and After-School Snacks. Just hoping to pick up my kids on time and find my Zen. For more of my musings, find me at writewhereiam.
