Step-Motherhood

It's really scary how powerful love is. Strong enough to pull you away from everything you thought you knew and into the unknown of what you'll become. If you would have told me 3 years ago that I'd be mothering 4 children I would have lost my breath explaining all the reasons why that wouldn't be. Besides the fact that I'd be only 20 and it would almost literally be inconceivable.. Well now I loose my breath answering questions like "Can we have a snack?" "What's a hurricane?"and of course the infamous "Why?"

Everyone has those great days and those awful days, then there's this grey area in-between where you kind of don't know wether to enjoy the peace or prepare for the next incident. I would describe my experience in motherhood this same way but in hourly intervals.

A successful breakfast (hopefully) makes up the first hour of the day, the pre-coffee morning doesn't count.. the next hour includes a bit of struggle to clean up afterwards. Time is lost as everyone needs to get ready and it's usually a bit awful. From the time everyones dressed till the next meal or our next location my mama senses are tingling.

There are days when I wish someone would just put my pants on for me, tie my shoes and make sure I remembered that one item I'm going to be sooooo upset about forgetting later.

9/10 Mothers will say "I wouldn't trade it for the world". No exchanges, no refunds, no rain checks. We bought the most valuable item at Mother's R Us, children. In my case it's kind of more like someone bought me a birthday present and said

"Oh and there's a gift receipt in the bag incase it doesn't fit."

But it fits, the colour looks great on me, the patterns are beautiful and I didn't even know I liked this style. A one of a kind adornment from the independent and iconic label "StepMum.

For the first year of our relationship (it's only been a year and a half-ish) we have been weaving ourselves into the fabric of each others lives. By that I basically mean what works and what doesn't. There was a period where the babes wanted to know how to address me, Aaron opted they just call me Mum or second Mum... It didn't really feel comfortable for anyone. So now I hear my name at least 300 times in a day. (I'm not even kidding, that's 100 times each babe on average)

We know each other now. To some degree things have been figured out probably just in time for them to change again. In fact definitely just in time. Figuring is by far the hardest part, it happens over and over and over and over and over. Sometimes in a new figuration every time. I just alway remember what my step mum always says "Such is life."

I am relieved to say we made it and ready to configure the next 13,140 hours
(8760 hrs in a year + half= 1/12 years) One thing I've learned is it's easier for the my mum brain to think yearly than daily...but still by surviving each hour.

I mean surviving in the best way. As in being faced with a new challenge, learning it, conquering it and being a good example or at least being on time for whatever. Because if you ever brought a child to school 15 minutes late with one shoe, you won't care about being a good example, then you need to be the time travellers wife.

Grey areas and totally blue skies make up each day and are a testament of love. Like I said it's scary but it's also comforting to feel yourself being everything you may have needed for yourself, at one time and didn't know you were, but now for someone else.

Until next time, wish me luck or stronger coffee !