Boyd Babes: Gratitude

School let out the Tuesday before Thanksgiving this year. Let’s just say the kids couldn’t have been more thankful for the extra day off. First on the agenda, well-child check-ups for Ross and Molly. I haven’t taken 3 kids to the doctor by myself for quite a while and must have forgotten. Forgotten they would fight over who got to lay on the exam table, that they would pull the stirrups out from under the exam table thinking they were phones, that they would dig through the drawers in the exam room, that they would leave the room in order to run up and down the hall spying on other patients, that someone would need to poop and that Ross would be shoving Maisie off the exam table just as the doctor made her entrance. During the exam, Maisie found it hilarious when the doctor checked Ross and Molly’s privates and wouldn’t let it go. When Maisie wouldn’t quit trying to climb on the exam table, I actually hauled her out to the hallway for timeout and shut the door. Molly decided to join her and almost slammed her fingers in the door. The doctor asked Molly to stay in the exam room where she completely fell apart, crying hysterically for the remainder of the appointment. The good news… everyone’s growing normally, everyone received the flu mist, and I had a bottle of wine waiting for me at home.

I obviously felt the urge to be challenged Wednesday morning because I hauled the kids to Fareway. Yes, I realize it’s the day before Thanksgiving, but I just couldn’t resist. Plus, we ~~wanted~~ needed mint pudding. Ross carried Molly around on his shoulders while Maisie straddled the cart basket. Lots of stares, giggles and eye-rolls from customers only encouraged the giggly and crazy behavior. As we rounded the corner by the hamburger buns, I spied our pastor. Great, I look like a negligent parent whose kids skipped their meds this week. He said ‘hello’ and smiled at the girls at about the same time Ross became visible from where he was laying perpendicular across the bottom of the cart (where you put cases of pop and dog food). The pastor hollered, ‘Oh, hello down there Ross.’ Ross just waved at him while almost kicking a Goldfish Cracker display over with his foot.

God save me.

Just as I was accepting the fact that I was going to hell, the Pastor caught up with me by the Hostess end-cap. As he passed me, he looked over his shoulder to say, “Heidi, you’re a model for all of us. You are full of poise and a true model to what being a good mom is.”

Of course I think I’m a good mom… of course I believe my parents, my in-laws and close friends think I’m a good mom. But there something about hearing it from someone who doesn’t have to say it. Someone who sees you in a true moment of hard-core parenting and appreciates your style and effort.

A year ago, I gave thanks for all the good in my life. At the time, I had no idea the upcoming year would bring the trials that came with it. Yet, looking back I’m confident God needed me to experience Divine Goodness in the sense I was supposed to experience it. And for that, words cannot express my gratitude.

I may not have gone were I intended to go, but I think I’ve ended up where I needed to be.

Douglas Adams