Mama-Bear Monday

Some days, everyone just needs a hug -- from Mom.

Monday was one of those days . . .

In the wee hours of the morning I heard sniffling and movement coming from the kid's bedroom. It was Daniel. He got out of bed and was crying and complaining about an itchy back. I pulled up his shirt and he was covered in a rash. So, with my eyes half-shut I gave him a cool shower and rubbed baking soda on his rash, to calm it down. It helped. Thank goodness. He went back into bed. I gave him a big hug.

A few hours later (still early morning), William crawled into bed with me. He was sleeping on top of my feet for awhile, and then he moved up to snuggle right next to me. I was sleeping very comfortably. Suddenly, I was dreaming of swimming in the ocean . . . and I felt a warm gushing sensation creep from my back down to my legs. It woke me up. It took me a minute to register what was going on. And then it registered: Pee. William peed on me. So, I got up, changed William (I had to change me, too), and I got a bunch of towels and put them on the bed. (I did not want to wake-up Charles and remove everything right then.) William got back in my towel-covered bed and snuggled close to me. I gave him a big hug.

*William NEVER wets the bed, ever. He has been potty-trained for a long time and since day one has had no accidents -- so it was really weird. Did I mention we ate asparagus for dinner . . . what a lovely smell.

The rest of the day was fairly "normal" . . . scripture reading (a MUST!), food making, doing the mailing for Charles' work, phone conversations, cookie baking, homework, e-mailing, cleaning, laundry, planning for activity days, family home evening, washing the pee-covered things on my bed. Really, no big deal.

Charles came home from work to overflowing rain gutters he had to clean out immediately. (What a nasty smell!) After some gnarly debris removal, he came inside and ate some dinner. He had a long day at work. I gave him a big hug. (He needed more hugs later on, too . . .) ;-) wink!

In the evening, Sammi was complaining about her earring hurting her. We went into the bathroom and took out her earring. Blood and yellow puss came out of the hole. (Ick.) Her earring had a kind of star shape to it, and it had been smashed really tight into her ear -- so her ear hole had been cut into a star shape. I ran to the internet and looked up what to do. We put rubbing alcohol on it, and then neosporin, and we left the earring out overnight. This morning it looked a lot better. I am supposed to repeat the alcohol/ointment treatment for about a week (or more, if it takes more). She had tears and worry. I gave her a big hug.

Sometimes, being a mom takes all you've got. Our role is to primarily nurture the children (and we nurture the daddy, too!). It is SO important for mamas to keep it together . . . to "stand on higher ground". Because sometimes -- EVERYONE NEEDS YOU!! (And you cannot fail!) Sometimes everyone needs you emotionally, sometimes it is physically, sometimes spiritually.

So, Mama-Bears . . . take some time during each day to refresh and renew YOURSELF!

So you can be ready when duty calls! (And duty WILL call!)

And so you can be ready to . . .

GIVE A BIG HUG!!!

Pee happens.

That is why Mothers were created.