Dear 7:30 a.m. School Moms In Perfectly Matching Outfits Sipping On Your Second Cup Of Coffee,
Today, as I pulled up in car line at school and looked at all of the matching school t-shirts, my heart sank. I had forgotten today was the field trip, and my little girl needed her school t-shirt. Oh yes, she will be boldly rocking turquoise amongst the sea of yellow shirts. (At least I'll be able to find her in the pictures as I face palm).
Driving home, I realized something...
I am that mom.
I'm the mom that forgets about field trips.
I'm the mom that frightens Kindergarten moms with my F350 in car line.
I'm the mom that doesn't care if my child is dressed to perfection, unless it's an important event. And I always let her do her own hair.
I'm the mom that doesn't care if my child sings in the school performance if she doesn't really want to.
I'm the mom that helps with projects, but doesn't do them for my kiddo... so they occasionally look like a serial killer cut and pasted a message together.
I'm the mom that doesn't spend much on gifts and they will look like a trained ape wrapped them.
I'm the mom that doesn't provide costumes with elaborate design and detail. Our cat costume may not even have a tail and I'm okay with that.
I'm the mom that lets my child sew and create and then lets her actually appear in public with hand appliquéd "monograms" that look like chicken scratch.
I'm the mom that keeps a calendar in September and then loses it by October.
My house isn't clean.
My clothes sometimes don't even match...but at least I put them on.
And I might sit on my off day and drink a mimosa slap in the middle of the day, because...
I'm just THAT mom.
But one thing I realized today, is that being that mom only helps you out!
First of all, you always have me to refer to when you need to remember that you are a "got it all together" kinda mom. I envy your ways, but I doubt that I'll be changing anytime soon. I like my imperfect attempts at parenting. And most days, I enjoy running around a hot mess in green chucks.
It's real life. And I promise you that I'll never be afraid to show my child and yours that I'm just not perfect. And in the long run, I think that's important to both of us. It gives our kiddos a safe place to fall.
Second, you can be assured that I'm not that mom because I'm lazy. I just have a different agenda. You don't have to be frightened by my haphazard non-PTO volunteering ways or my dirty cowboy boots or my rock star husband.
I sincerely look at the bigger picture and want our kiddos to be, well... kiddos. Not that you don't... I just have different gifts and talents. My hot mess skills just seem to outway my organizational skills.
And today I'm embracing those talents and no longer hiding behind the exhaust of my big truck or the guise of cute shoes. I'm coming out of the closet... well, so to speak.
I am proclaiming to you that I am officially that mom...
I am the mom that will let your kids run through my house with muddy shoes.
I am the mom that will toss our kids outside and push them to go on a ghost hunt through the woods or make forts or whatevs.
I am the mom that will let the kids make s'mores in the living room.
I am the mom that will unplug the internet, when the outside world gets too overwhelming.
I am the mom that will volunteer and love your child during every single children's church event when you're exhausted from serving at school.
I am the mom that will laugh at all the borderline inappropriate things your kid laughs at, but also draw the line when needed.
I am the mom that will watch our kiddos like a hawk, and step in if hormones or the world or anything unJesus-like starts creeping in.
I will not be afraid to discipline with love and I will be loyal to you to a fault.
I am THAT mom.
And I'm ready to embrace all of our roles, because let's face it... I need you, as much as you need me. You need me to be that as much as I need your holiday cookies and your matching clothes and your dedication to making copies in the school office and your chaperoning skills and your warm body at the events that I just can't attend.
It takes a big tribe to raise these kids. And sometimes our imperfections are exactly what they need to feel a big ole dose of grace and love. So today I make a promise to you that I am and will continue to do my best at being that mom.
Sincerely,
Mom Of The Kid That Will Be Standing Out Like A Sore Thumb In Your Field Trip Pictures
