Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Banana Bread Epiphany

Epiphany: a. A sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something. b. A comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization.

Trying to stop the whining about the grounding from video games, I announce, "Let's bake some banana bread!"
Bonding occurs. Measuring, math, questions, no whining.
Spilled sugar, spilled flour, spilled cinnamon.
Tempering my own impulses to be angry with clumsy 2 year old hands; he's two. The other is 5. He's only five.
Hearing the baby cry, hearing the laundry buzz, feeling the tantrum coming, trying not to sigh. Baby on hip, 2 year old crying, 5 year old whining. Bread baking. Husband networking. Beginning to wonder --again --why I signed up for all of this.

Receive Epiphany:

It's okay.
It's okay to have crying, whining, laundry, spilled sugar, busy husband, no time to accomplish anything.
It's really okay!

The calm comes, the smile returns. The crying, whining, busy-ness, and lack of time continues, but it's okay.
I did sign up for this.

And I love it.

4 comments:

Jocelyn said...

I think that has to be the mantra, right? "I'm pretty sure I signed up for this. I'm pretty sure I signed up for this. The worst day at home is better than the best day anywhere else....."

I cooked with my 5 & 4 year olds today and was thinking how very grateful I was that my 3 & 1 year olds were napping. Cooking with anyone under age 4 makes my blood pressure rise. I'm not patient enough!!!!

What are you doing up so late?

And I love you.

Judi said...

And yu're great at it too Cheryl. You're kids are wonderful, bright, intelligent, and kind. And you are an amazing mom...i don't cook with my kids near enough! something i need to change! thanks for giving me an epiphany!

Anonymous said...

Mmmm. Banana bread.

I'm sorry. There was an epiphany?

Rebekah V. said...

This perfectly captures so many of my days. It is really amazing how powerful one thought can be "this is okay." I am going to keep this in mind today. I have a feeling i am going to need it.