"Mama, go Auntie Theresa's house?" I hear the little voice asking me in the morning. This is the two-year-old version of "What's our itinerary today?" I answer back with the plan for the day "Today is church day." "Today is Saturday - you get to stay with Mama all day!"
This morning we were driving to daycare and I heard the little voice in the back loudly in my ears "Stay with Mama today?" While the question is innocent enough, it's loaded in the mind of this working mom. My mind goes forward to 25 years from now and I see my poor son laying on the couch of a psychologist - talking about his mother rushing him out the door at 6:45am and returning at 5:30pm every day. Hurry hurry hurry was all I ever heard! he is saying. My mind crashes back to 2007. "No honey. Today you are going to Auntie Theresa's. But Mama would love to stay with you and have a mommy baby day (we call it)!"
I quickly pray that God would help him continue to adjust to our life - me existing in temporary single parenting. I know so many mothers who work full-time, either as a single parent or as a married couple who just have to pay the bills. Some women choose to work full-time. My hat goes off to those who balance working, parenting, and life successfully, especially those single mom's and dad's who do every day.
We continue driving and talking about what we will do on our day together. Martin is happy to discuss his plans and we converse and sing for the rest of the drive to daycare. I go to work as I do every day.
But my heart stays in a grubby little hand.
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