Being Wonder Woman

There's a picture of me on Mother's Day.  You can't see it because it's on my phone and I can't figure out how to get it off, and I'm also having a really bad hair day.  The picture, other than my hair, is wonderful though.  I'm sitting in the rocking chair surrounded by my kiddos.  Jackson's on my lap with A & J kneeling in front of the chair holding a uncertain looking Ariel between them.  We took the picture to send to Jeff.  He's been out of town the past few weeks for work, and we miss him.

It is the month of May and in our family that means Sacraments, finishing up school and Daddy working on-site in different parts of Alaska.  In some ways it is the perfect storm.  Just as my church year is fast-spinning to a chaotic close with Baptisms, 1st Communions, Confirmations and end-of-the-year banana splits my husband is busy at work thousands of miles away.  He flies back into our lives at regular intervals to give us hugs, take out the recycling, celebrate important milestones and then flies back out again.

I have a habit of looking at a perfect storm as a zen challenge.  I will not only be a single parent who works nearly full-time, I will be wonder woman.  I will take the dog on long walks outside.  I will bike ride with the kids to school.  I will coordinate church events, and in the midst of it all I will be calm--heck, maybe I'll even teach the kids how to meditate and we'll all be calm. 

And then real life steps in and before I know it I'm plucking porcupine quills out of the dog's face, cleaning up vomit and vomit and more vomit (stomach flu hits our family in 3s), serving macaroni and cheese for dinner AGAIN and watching Disney movies with sickly children instead of going to work.  The house is a mess, the church events happen only through the grace of God and the wonderful support of co-workers and volunteers, and the kids continue being kids and not Zen masters.

May is the month of Mary.  A time to remember we're not called to be picture perfect mothers.  We're called to be persevering mothers.  The kind who ride on donkeys when pregnant and travel to foreign countries with newborns.  Thinking of Mary I'm reminded once again . . . I am wonder woman.  I'm a mom.