Today, in the midst of this glamourous awards season, I would like to accept the award for perseverance in the face of much adversity. As mothers we are constantly bombarded with challenges to overcome, hoops to jump through, and an array of emotions to sort through. And yet, we return to our calling with renewed vigor day after day, never abandoning our attempts to plumb the innermost emotions of these creatures we call our children.
Perseverance is defined as “the quality of continuing with something even though it is difficult.” Several months into the pandemic, I decided it would be a great idea to liven the house up with some plants. What better way to inspire than to fill the house with life and color?! I came home with some small plants in pots, as well as one of those seed starter trays, the very large ones- the 24-pack. Upon wandering the house, I realized there was nowhere to put these plants, and they found themselves plopped right down on the floor in our dining room. Who doesn’t want to eat while they look at little trays of dirt? So they sat on our floor, unnecessarily taking up space for days. And then the ants came. How lovely. Life indeed. Still, I persisted. The plants were relocated to the backyard where we could admire them from the dining room window. Soon the plants were kicked by soccer balls, frisbees, and even run over with bikes. Were the kids riding bikes in the grass in the backyard?! A storm blew through and upended the few plants that had survived the wake of four children playing. All the plants ended up in the trash, dirt scattered all over the patio and lawn.
Yet, I plow on, finding myself again and again at the plant nursery, knowing full well that plants cannot survive in the environment that is known as our backyard. Just yesterday I found myself perusing the flower department at a local nursery. I filled my cart with an assortment of spring flowers, eager to transport them to my back patio.
Looking out the kitchen window now, I see my kids racing across the yard, large water guns in tow. Fast streams of liquid shoot in every direction. I see the blooms of my begonias flailing in the wind. Tomorrow, maybe I will buy a cactus.
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Persistence can come in a variety of forms. Like the year I decided I’d make the kids' smoothies every single day in an attempt to get them to eat something other than salted peanuts, popcorn, and nacho cheese Doritos. I loaded my shopping cart with assorted fruits and vegetables. Avocados in smoothies? Sure, why not?! Spend $600 on a blender? Yes, necessary.
Day 1: Green Smoothie
Small can pineapple juice
2-3 cups organic spinach
1 banana
1-2 cups frozen mango
Half of an avocado
Water or milk to blend
(Thanks Dessie! It’s still my favorite green smoothie)
Kids- “No, I’m not touching that.”
Me- “It’s good. You have to try it.”
Kids- incessant whining and crying
Me- “It’s good for you. Just at least taste it.”
Kids- “Oh my gosh! Why are you ruining my life?”
Me- “If you just take one drink, I’ll let you go play.”
Kids- Smell green liquid. Make a face. “Ugh!! Omg!! You’re the WORST mom!!”
*Stick the tiniest part of tongue into pureed green liquid and start crying.
“There! I drank it! Can I go?!”
Me- Sigh. We’ll try again tomorrow.
As the cruelest mom on the face of the planet, I will gladly accept this award for perseverance in the face of great adversity. I still force feed my kids smoothies. They still act like this is unreasonable and barbaric.
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I would also like to accept this award for persevering through harrowing janitorial duties throughout the years, particularly for cleaning the bathroom upstairs that has been deemed “the kids’ bathroom”. Don’t be fooled into thinking they don’t completely trash the other two bathrooms in the house. But this is where they keep their toothbrushes, lotions, half eaten chapsticks, and an assortment of hair supplies found littered all over the counters, drawers, and floors.
There was one summer when I told them it was their job to keep that bathroom clean, and like a dedicated taskmaster, I stocked it full of easy-to-use cleaning supplies. They eagerly jumped at the opportunity to pitch in and do their part. Just kidding. They cried and whined and threw fits before hastily wiping one quarter of the counter with a Clorox wipe and calling the bathroom clean. Like an overbearing office manager, I hounded them daily to clean the sink, take out the trash, and organize the hair supplies.
My pleas fell on deaf ears. Trash overflowed onto the floor, wads of tissue and strings of floss cluttered the area around the toilet. Guess who took over cleaning the kids’ bathroom. Me.
So, yes, I will accept this award because like a soldier plowing through the trenches, I make every effort to keep that bathroom clean. Not for the faint of heart, cleaning up after four kids requires tenacity and the ability to face grave danger. Did somebody pee in the bathtub? What exactly is on the wall? “Were y’all eating chocolate in here?!” Lord, please let the answer be yes.
So, yes, it is with great honor that I accept this award today for persevering in even the most trying of times. From blowout diapers in the church parking lot, to doors slammed in our face by angsty teens, we mothers deserve all the awards this award season.
This post is part of a blog hop with Exhale—an online community of women pursuing creativity alongside motherhood, led by the writing team behind Coffee + Crumbs. Click here to view the next post in the series "Acceptance Speech".
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