As Moms Do #motherhood

I woke up sick as a dog. I could barely breathe and my throat was a killer. As I laid there, I realized I was half asleep on my back, a position I hate to sleep in, the muffled sound of snoring came out of me and I felt this ping of pain in my throat. I was congested. My whole head ached, ears were throbbing and my throat oh my throat.

It was 5am and AJ had walked into the bedroom asking if he could be awake, being that I was half awake myself I said “yes, buddy go ahead and turn on the TV”. Then my six year old son woke up and wanted to be awake. It was now 5:30am and the whole upper part of me was unable to function; between the headache, sore throat and ears feeling as if they were full of fluid, I just could not see myself moving out of that bed.

Then I remember a story about a Mom who stayed in bed and something happened to her child, I couldn’t bare that to happen, so I pulled myself out of bed. As us Moms do. I then went to the bathroom to find my six year old had pooped his pants, I think he’s getting sick too. I helped my son get cleaned up, moving as slow as a snail, and feeling as if this were all a blur, I grabbed a hand towel.

I soaked the hand towel in warm water and proceeded to grab my cell that had the alarm set for 6:10am, only another half hour and I had to start getting kids ready for school. I laid my head on the couch with my sons near me, watching TV, and placed that towel over my face. I breathed in. Within moments all of that congestion was being released and I nearly threw up from the gagging on the stuff coming up from my chest, out my mouth.

My six year old looked worried and asked if I was okay, I assured him that I am fine and that I simply just don’t feel too good. My eyes closed for maybe ten minutes and then the rooster alarm clock sounded. The tween was awake and coming to give me a hug good morning and the boys were ready for breakfast to be had.

Mom duty was calling and here I was lying down, sick as a dog, shaking yet having no fever and still, Mom duty was calling me. This is my life, sick or not, I have to be Mom. This is my life, single or not, I have to be Mom. It doesn’t matter if I am sick; I still have to get those kids to school for their education, fed for their health and happily off to school, for them to know they are loved. Always.

Then, once all are in school, only then, can I lay down, close my eyes and cry, for I held that strength just long enough to not fall apart on my kids. Now it is time for me, to lay my head down, nurse myself back to health, for in a few hours, Mom duty will call upon me again and I will muster up the strength, the smile and love to tend to my children, as Moms do.