Calgon take me away...

It amazes me how much of Motherhood consists of being the one in a family who is willing to pay attention to the details and get all the small things done. Of course there are plenty of big things required…driving children here and there, cleaning laundry to ensure the family is clothed, buying and preparing food for sustenance, the list goes on and on. Lately, however, I am bogged down with all the little things that rest solely on my shoulders. I am sure there are Mothers in the world that let these kinds of things slip through their fingers, but I am determined not to be one of them. I am better than that.

Earlier this week, one of these “small things” almost became my mental undoing. As you know, Josh has rejoined his football team after we found out about our delay in moving to Holland. Because of his brief time away from the team, we missed the part where the dutiful team Mom takes all the jerseys on behalf of the other very busy parents on the team and has the last names put on the back. Therefore, this “small thing” trickled down to me…No, problem, I’m glad he is back on the team and this small chore will be no problem…

First, every store I called said they would be glad to do it, but could not get it back to me in time for him to play his next game. After his game on Saturday, we rushed directly to the store to ensure it was done in a timely manner. Nooooo, the jersey was a smidge dirty and they refused to do it. Three games played, still no name on the back of his jersey. Finally, after his game on Monday night, I came home from the game and immediately washed his jersey so I could take it to the store first thing the next morning (bear in mind we did not get home from the game until after 10:00 PM). Buzzer rings…I open up the dryer…Where can I get some Prozac, because this can not be happening right now…Little Helmut has left a whole package of gum in his pants pocket and it is now all over the drum of the dryer! I spent the next 45 minutes using every household-cleaning product I own (with chemicals mixing and I am sure killing brain cells) to get it clean. At about 1:00 AM I felt like burning those evil jerseys that were conspiring against me, but I was too tired to find any matches. On a more positive note, everything seems a little better in the morning light, and I did not burn the jerseys. I took them to the sporting goods store and got the names put on them like a responsible Mother should. I reiterate, I will be a “small things” Mom (just as my mother was), because my children deserve it.