So It's The Day After Mother's Day...Now What?

​Yesterday was the annual celebration of Mother’s Day. Mothers were heralded and applauded for their role as Mom. Some moms are biological moms, step-moms, adopted moms, foster moms, spiritual moms, mentor moms, moms-in-training and like I enjoy calling my daughter, “little mommas.” Yesterday for many was a day of celebration, relaxation, festivity, and family, but for many women, it was a day of sadness over the loss of a mom (perhaps much too young), the loss of a child (perhaps much too young, as well), the complexity of becoming a mom when the cards just have not stacked up yet and for others, the loss of a dream relationship with their mom. Like many other holidays on the calendar throughout the year, this holiday causes people to fumble, bumble, re-think whether they should applaud moms or quietly and discreetly mention the holiday, but not focus on it too much.

​We can all breathe a sigh of relief because the day is over and we have three hundred and sixty four days before it happens again.
 
So what happens the day after Mother’s Day? Yesterday moms all around were pampered, brought breakfast in bed, taken to brunch, hugged and kissed a million times, elevated and praised, maybe even a load of laundry or two were done, kids were bathed and mom did not have to lift many fingers. However, today is Monday mom and your life…well, it is all back to normal once again.
 
Today….
 
You need your quiet time with coffee, Jesus, your Bible and your prayer journal before the house gets going (because it is the one constant thing that keeps me sane).
 
Kids need to be dropped off and picked up at school on time.
 
Breakfasts need to be made.
 
Kids need to be woken up.
 
Dogs need to be fed.
 
Lunches need to be made.
 
Oh…can you squeeze some time in to exercise?
 
…and maybe even grab a shower?
 
Let’s throw in some activity at the children’s school…why not?!?!

Laundry needs to be done (I mean, the baskets were empty yesterday when my husband did laundry for me…weren’t they?).
 
Grocery shopping has to be done (you cannot eat out every meal).
 
Bills need to be paid.
 
Dinner needs to be started before afternoon carpool…(remember, you won’t be home until six or seven thanks to after-school activities).
 
Snacks and drinks for after school need to be stored in the car (because seriously they may die before dinner if they don’t have something).
 
Kids, if you have multiple, will need to be picked up in various locations on campus and/or different schools.
 
Arguments will need mediation (didn’t you remember not to pack only one option of each snack/drink?).
 
Oh, did you remember to pack clothes for them to change into? Yes, me neither.
 
Traffic will need to be battled.
 
Arrive home only to unpack the car (as if you have been on a road trip for a week).
 
Empty lunchboxes.
 
Start dinner.
 
There’s that laundry again staring you in the face (why do they put the laundry room so near the kitchen?).
 
Help with homework (yes, that includes even getting them to a place where they will sit and do their homework).
 
Serve dinner.
 
Clean up dinner.
 
Harangue your children into taking showers (remind them a million times how blessed they are to have clean water).
 
Say prayers.
 
Read to and lay down with the youngest child (the others either had their years or the “baby” gets certain privileges).
 
Fall asleep with said child.
 
Wake up completely disoriented and stumble downstairs.
 
Spend some “quality” time with the husband.
 
Take out dogs (why do we self-torture?).
 
Get ready for bed.
 
Set alarm clock (why bother, you only have five hours to sleep anyway).
 
Lights out.
 
How many days did I say it was until Mother’s Day again?
 
Moms are busy creatures. Working moms and single moms, I honestly do not know how you do it. There is only one consistent day of the school week where I have to actually shower before school and look presentable. The other four days, it is generally go-to work out clothes so I will feel more pressure to actually work out. I cannot imagine having a job outside of “my job,” but I admire you who do (whether you choose to work or not).
 
As I look at this list, I am sure there are a lot of you saying, “Your children should be doing some of that work.” Yes, perhaps they should and perhaps they do, but I am still the supervisor. If the “employee” does not show up to work that day, the work still needs to get done. I have no ability to “hire” new employees…and these “employees” even get a year-end bonus no matter what (aka Christmas presents!).
 
Mother’s Day for most is a fun and frivolous day. Even those who have lost a mom to illness or death or those who do not have a close relationship with their mom, perhaps have some memories of Mother’s Days gone by. Relish those memories and rejoice in the memories to be. 

​Mother’s Day is not the only day to elevate and praise moms. Moms should always be encouraging other moms…we should be each other’s own best support systems. Who knows the plight of a mother better than another mother? Who understands the highest highs of motherhood and the lowest lows of motherhood? We all parent and mother different, but in the end, most of us are trying to do our best in raising a child (or children) to turn out to be exactly who they were created to be. The Bible never says, “We (as parents) know the plans I have for you.” No, it was the Creator who said these words in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you.”
 
Mothers have been given the task of helping to raise and train up a child (or children) in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6). We have been entrusted with their care and nurturing. Through this journey, we learn so much about ourselves – about our strengths, weaknesses, failures, accomplishments and our own weariness (I know I have). My children help me to be a better me because life is not just about me anymore. I am accountable to my Creator, my husband and my children who fully rely on me until they can learn to fully rely on Him.
 
I love Mother’s Day because it celebrates the many ways in which women are Mom. I hope you are praised in your gates every day and I pray you are called blessed every day – not just by those you have birthed, adopted or married into, but by all of those who need a motherly figure, as well. We are only as limited as we make ourselves to be. If we can accomplish a million tasks in just one day, think of how many lives we can impact in one lifetime if we do not confine our definition of “Mom” to only our own four walls.