August 6, 2008

True Confessions

I started thinking about the pedastal that I've been put on and decided that I needed to do a post that lets you in on a little secret. So get ready for me to knock your socks off...

I'm not a perfect mom.

Lest you think I'm a superhero or Kate (of reality tv fame) I want to tell you that I am indeed a regular mom with regular problems (that more often than not involve some kind of child's bodily fluids). I'm thinking the best way for me to let you in on my reality is by making some confessions. Here we go:

1- My kids eat at McDonald's. Gasp. It is true. It doesn't happen on a weekly basis, but sometimes I've been known to make a drive thru appearance at the local McD's. Salomae ate a burger with a side of 5 nuggets last week. She's a true carnivore.
2- I don't order Happy Meals. They are too expensive. Yeah, we are that cheap. And did you know that there isn't a "Burger with side of nuggets" option?
3- I'm pretty selfish. I try to be, anyway. The other day, while weeding the garden with the kids, I noticed that there were raspberries ready to pick. I meandered over to the bushes and picked them. Then, in a moment of sheer selfishness, I decided to eat them all as fast as I could and NOT SHARE THEM WITH MY KIDS. Yeah. Didn't work because their 'Mommy is doing something fun' radars went off. I ate one raspberry before I was spotted and the masses converged on me to eat the rest of my bounty.
4- I can't do imaginary play. I just can't. I've tried. A few weeks ago I ran around in the backyard neighing like a horse being chased by four cougars. I couldn't get into it. I'd rather read a book.
5- Sometimes I get annoyed. That doesn't need an explanation.
6- Occasionally, while in Moby, during a particularly irritating spat between children, I will unroll all of the windows and blast whatever music happens to be on at the time. It feels good and the kids stop arguing. I think they do, but I can't hear them so does it matter? I've gotten some pretty strange looks as we pull up to a light with Vivaldi blaring.
7- I don't dust. I rarely iron. I don't particularly enjoy folding clothes (I 'wad' more than I fold). My kids socks aren't all that white. If we can even find two that match. I have a hamper full of socks without mates.
8- I don't wipe out Sally's brace with alcohol EVERY night like the orthodics guy told me to. She does wear a clean undershirt (changed after naps because she's so sweaty all of the time).
9- While on the cleanliness confessional kick: If they are clean, I don't make my kids take a bath every night.
10- I have actually yelled at my children.

There you have it folks. The bare naked truth. See, I'm pretty normal. By the grace of God my children will survive their childhood and as adults dote on me and call me blessed.

9 comments:

Karen said...

You are my kind of mom! Thanks for the honesty - love it!! Cheering for you Apryl! with love, Karen Wistrom

Melissa Juvinall said...

I love it, Apryl! Esp. #4! I totally relate!
Melissa Juvinall

Carpenters said...

I'm so with you on the selfish thing. Thankfully, my little ones haven't quite learned the whole "Mommy is doing something fun" thing yet, so those raspberries, my favorite, would have been mine. Oh, how guilty I would have felt afterward. Anyway, thank you for knocking my socks off.

With Love,
Penelope

alisa said...

Thanks for sharing your humaness & Sally's updates--your family's story is very encouraging to me, especially as our own adoption draws closer.

the Steiger's said...

Really? For a second I thought you were the 'perfect' MOM.
Just kidding we all have moments and yes I would eat raspberries all by myself as well. (However I made a jam yesterday instead. I am guilty of eating ice cream without sharing. Bad mom. And I love my own quiet time. I still sent the boys to their room to listen to Adventures in Odyssey so I can calm down and relax on my own. (And eat some ice cream).
However you are doing a great job as a mom and I pray for you daily.
Love, Lenka

Mark Redfern said...

Thank-you, Apryl. That was comforting! :)

--Katie Redfern

beBOLDjen said...

HAHAHAHAH SOOOO funny! Now that I can come out of the closet about my laundry "wadding" the weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

Oh man, that was too good!

Jori said...

I am so glad you made me feel normal!!! We just got our ref and even with that (after only 5 1/2 months of waiting!!!)I am amazed how many people say "what a great thing you are doing" Huh, these are kids people, get up and do something!! :) Of course, I say this in the most loving way possible!! :):) Thanks for sharing fellow "normal" mom!
Jori
I am pretty sure our girls were not at Th for very long. They were not at KidsCare either. (Can I say that??:))

Cristie said...

Can I just tell you .... LOVE THIS! You don't know me .. fellow AWAA mom here. I adopted from China in 06 with Cindy Foote. I now get the privelege of praying with her as she walks through her adoption to Aria from ET. I also get the awesome honor of being her travel mate! WHOO HOO! Anyways, I saw this post, your honesty and thought ... so well done, my friend! And by the way ... I think I could go copy and paste your list and it would fit me well also. Brutal honesty from a Mommy who loves the Lord, loves her kids and works daily to be better at both ... so refreshing!