Holiday Detour
Saturday consisted of a 5 am alarm followed by over 8 hours devoted to kid sports. Needless to say, a nap and some chillin’ followed, so on Sunday, I woke up with a vengeance to accomplish a few things before hammering out another 40 hour work week. I had laundry for 4 to wash & put away, dishes & toilets to clean, and floors to sweep & mop. I even considered which near-complete house project I would devote time to: finish laying a bathroom floor or converting a canary yellow laundry room (see picture) to a non-cringy color. I was going to work out. And then life happened…
I woke up to a text from my daughter; she felt horrible. Her 4 day cold had taken a turn for the worse and she cried, asking if she could go to the doctor tomorrow. My youngest hinted at wanting McDonald’s before I had even one sip of coffee. My oldest requested chicken for dinner in preparation for a Wednesday wrestling weigh-in. I allowed myself a few minutes of feeling overwhelmed and grumpy because I could already feel this day was going to look nothing like what my mind had planned.
I hopped in the car to pick up my sick offspring. I don’t know if it was my super chill Sunday morning music or my realization that I had a chance to be in charge of my super powers. Maybe it was my recent blessings of non-battery operated fun. 😉 For whatever reason, I had control of how I felt and knew that my choice of focus would inevitably affect how my day played out. I suddenly felt clear.
When I picked up my daughter (who had repeatedly refused Robitussin and salt water gargles over the last few days), she was crying, gag-coughing and very obviously beyond the sleep-will-shake-it-off type cold. Although I turn to prescription as a last resort, I knew it was time. I felt power in my Spidey Mom Sense; I knew exactly what to do. When she bawked at me spending the out-of-pocket $ it would cost to see a weekend doctor, I told her in a near-Yoda voice, “It is out of your hands now.”
I experienced a zen feeling, comparable to meditating. While driving, with eyes wide open, I had full appreciation for the moment. My day would absolutely look different than my mental to-do list and I was more than happy to put my full positive energy into this switch up. I was going to be Super Mom today.
With absolute certainty, I dropped off our favorite perra, retrieved stronger meds (& chicken), and delivered my daughter to the doctor. She asked me once in the waiting room why I was smiling, but I knew she felt too icky to understand my appreciation for the moment. She was diagnosed with an ear infection and possible strep throat. (She had been too mean about a throat stick for the staff to confirm the latter.) I fed my kids, got medicine in those that needed it, and jumped head first into laundry and dishes. Later, I nailed dinner & laundry. A few cabinet tops may have even been sanitized.
My house projects continue to sit unfinished, as does my holiday shopping. I would be slightly embarrassed if you utilized any of my restrooms right now, but yet I exist in a chill mode dimension that allows me to not give even one damn about it. I finished the day with a few of my favorite things:
- all of my kids safe, full-tummied & cozy in our home
- a clean kitchen
- a glass (or so) of wine
- writing this blog to connect with you
The holiday season normally makes me realize how much happier I could make others with more money, which usually leads to a twinge of depression. I have found, though, that not thinking about what should have been done or what needs to be done, has put me in the ultimate holiday spirit. Regardless of gifts purchased or an orderly house, I will offer those around me a present/presence of a sincerely happy, positive spirit. If I have time, I might add in a few lottery tickets.