I have had some experiences as of late that remind me how much people can change. Namely, how I am one of those people.
There are a lot of things that come with the territory of mommy-hood that aren’t in the manual anywhere. Things like not showering regularly, forgetting where the gym is since it’s been so long, how hard it is to break old patterns of dysfunction, sacrificing pretty much everything, putting baby first, learning to be selfless and nurturing—and doing all this with less sleep than a tortured CIA prisoner.
I realized it had been 5 months of not leaving the house, trying to hold down a full-time job, plan a trip for everyone ELSE to go to Africa, and taking care of my new full-time bundle of screaming joy, that I was starting to feel like one of those prisoners. I needed a breath of fresh air—a new perspective. After all, it was finally spring and we somehow made it through the toughest winter of my life.
So, of course, I chose the booming metropolis of Omaha, Nebraska for my get-away. I went to visit Ronda, one of those friends that makes your life have meaning. We originally met back in Uruguay—riding bikes in dresses, where our biggest struggles included “snakes,” warm carbonated water on hot days, washing clothes in a cement bucket by hand and doing our best to avoid the ever-present head of lice. Ah, those were the good old days. It was also the place we made a pact that we would continue to dream and not let life get in the way.
Every once in a while, it’s good to re-connect with those kinds of friends. You never have make excuses or talk about boring stuff like the weather. Plus, Ronda has 4 kids and I needed to see that babies do grow up and learn to dress themselves. They also don’t have to be carried constantly in the Bjorn until they are 9. That was a relief!Ronda and I are definitely in different seasons right now. She came home from Uruguay and quickly embarked on a life of marriage and family. It took me over a decade to get on the same wagon, so now I’m eating her dust and realizing why it’s probably smart to start having babies when you are 25, not 35. At least the staying up all night part.
It’s interesting to note the change in seasons. I’m no longer the single world traveler, saving planet earth from illiteracy and dependency on hand outs. I’m the frazzled mommy who can’t even find her pre-pregnancy clothes because they are somewhere in bags in the garage and probably don’t fit anyway. I don’t use soap with chemicals or perfumes on my precious baby’s skin. I’m the crazy vegetarian lady who eats foods like Quinoa and Kamut—and I didn’t even have my baby in a hospital. Yeah, I guess seasons do change.
Lucy got her first 2 bottom teeth while we were in Nebraska. Watching her struggle and suffer with something so challenging and painful kind of brought everything full circle for me. We are always changing…from the time we are teething babies to the time we are adults who think we have life figured out. The seasons remind us that the only thing constant in our lives is change.
I loved watching Ronda be a mom. Cooking whole foods that her family devoured, spending time jumping on the tramp and sharing popcorn treats that made the neighbor kids wish they had a mom like that. We talked of life, seasons, and how those will always be evolving. All we really need to focus on is getting through each day, realizing that a shower is indeed a luxury and not a necessity, and the best thing we can do for our kids is to empower them to be all they can. Valiant spirits need valiant moms. I’m grateful for this season to be learning how.
