Mom, Whatever You Did Today, It was Enough

There is no slipcover on the sofa I’m sitting on.

The dog peed on two of the cushions. Chocolate ice cream syrup from a sundae that was supposed to be eaten, “At the table!” was smeared on a third. So I took the whole thing off to wash it. (God bless IKEA and the Swedish Innovation that invented an almost entirely machine washable sofa.)

The slipcover’s been dry for two days, but I haven’t put it back on yet. Mostly because I know the minute I put it back on someone will sit on it to eat an orange Flav-O-Pop they are supposed to eat, “AT THE TABLE!” And half the Flav-O-Pop will melt and pool in the bottom of that plastic tube. And inevitably that someone will spill, splash or splatter the melted Flav-O-Pop all over the slipcover that I, “Just washed!” The longer the slipcover hangs on the drying rack, the longer it stays clean.

The carpet near the sofa is also stained. I’m not sure with what. Probably something that was supposed to be — everybody altogether now –“EATEN AT THE TABLE!!!”

The kitchen, dining area and living room are one big open room. There are toys scattered on the floor from the TV to the stove. I had to walk over a minefield of Legos and Hot Wheels to get the lemonade in the fridge.

We ate dinner on TV trays tonight because there is laundry, a backpack and a pair of Buzz Lightyear wings covering the dining table.

There’s a load of laundry in the dryer that I rewashed this morning, because I forgot to put it in the dryer yesterday.

I was going to put the slipcover back on today. I was going to steam the spot out of the carpet. I was going to make the boys clean up their toys. I was going to clean off the dining table this afternoon so we could eat dinner on it. I was going to put the second load of laundry I did today in the dryer, so I didn’t have rewash it tomorrow.

I could feel bad about that. I could say, “Oh, ho-hum. I didn’t get anything done. Poor me. What a failure.”

Or…

I can choose to focus on what I did get done.

The kitchen is clean. I washed the pots and pans, wiped down the stove and counters. The dishwasher is loaded and running.

More importantly I played with Wade in the backyard. I went to the park with Wade. I snuggled with him on the couch this afternoon. When David came home from school we went outside again. I helped David with his homework. I took David to soccer practice. I took the boys out for ice cream after. Then when we got home we played outside until bedtime.

Most importantly I hugged and kissed my boys. I told them that I love them. I told Wade I was proud of him for sharing his toy with the other kids who were waiting while their siblings practiced soccer. I told David I was proud of him for being brave enough to sing a song for the class talent show.

I was a mom today. And if that’s ALL I got done today, it was enough.