5 Pros/ 5 Cons

I’m going to ask my true love to watch the kids solo more often.

When he does daddy duty, my, oh, my he does it right!

Today while I attended the writer’s conference he took the ruffians down to the beach for a two-mile walk, a ride on the carousel, swimming, and for good foods.

End result, it’s 6:30 p.m. and we have three kids completely crashed out in the hotel room (oh, and Daddy’s crashed, too. But that’s a sacrifice for the team.)

There’s something about seeing my world juxtaposed that makes me thoughtful. Here I was, at a conference all day trying to learn the craft of writing better, pitching book ideas, getting feedback, meeting other writers… it was invigorating.

Then I come back to reality and have three little urchins clamoring for the mommy attention they missed all day. In a flash I go from composed professional to the woman covered in peanut butter, changing diapers, and lacking a unique first name – “Mommy” will do just fine, thankyouverymuch.

Uno is asleep on the pull-out sofa, Dos is asleep on my left leg and Tres is asleep on Lizard’s chest. It’s a time for dreaming.

What would life look like if I’d never had these kids?

• I wouldn’t be writing non-fiction for the marriage, relationships, women’s issues category!
• I wouldn’t have embarrassing stories galore of bodily fluids.
• I wouldn’t have an intimate relationship with Clairol hair coloring products.
• I wouldn’t have a lard baby.
• I wouldn’t question my ability to complete a thought process.

Those are pretty neat things, right? But then I think about what has gotten better because of these little ruffians…

• I laugh. And laugh. Because who can’t laugh at a 4-year-old telling you “N. & O. kissed me because I think they love me. I tried to run away from them but them just kissed me!”
• I hurt. It’s the hurts so good kind of hurt – I look at them and my heart hurts from loving them so much. I memorize the curve of their cheek, the feel of their hand in mine, the twinkle in their eyes and am consumed to the point of pain with my love.
• I wonder. Seeing the world through their eyes is a trip. They notice the tiny, inconsequential things I brushed away long ago. They analyze the world, they adventure in their minds… and they take me with them on their journey.
• I stopped caring about the inconsequential. I’ve grown so much as a mother! Only after being a mother did I realize life isn’t about having shoes that match every outfit or being 10 minutes early for everything. I started to see the people around me as precious and loved, and try to treat them that way.
• I have a greater purpose. Yes, I know we each have a purpose, but these girls, they need me. Really. If there has ever been a reason to live it’s because these precious gifts of life have been given to me to steward. That’s not a little thing.

Thanks for letting me be thoughtful tonight.

Do you have kids? If so, what are some of the pros & cons of having your kiddos?