My mornings are a hodgepodge of disasters. Some mornings I pull into the drop off line while cups, phones, half-empty (who’s kidding they are empty with a small drink left in the bottom) coffee mugs, balls, and lipsticks slide into my lap/floorboard on the first turn. I reset them only to have them fall in the exact same manner on the second turn. I realize the oldest has forgotten his backpack as he is getting out of the car. Some days, I pull out of the garage to realize that it is thirty degrees, and my children are severely inappropriately dressed for the weather. At times, I miss the drop off line for the second child by 45 seconds because the police officer at the first school drop off decided he would rather watch the traffic than direct it in the rain. Can’t say that I blame him. And because I missed the drop off I have to drag the baby out in the rain to walk the middle inside. But wait, I don’t have an umbrella, so we all get drenched in the process.
There have been mornings where I was putting the baby in her car seat, fully dressed for work, heard screaming, looked up just in time to see the water spray coming down toward me from over the car (inside of the garage) because that precious middle child was shooting the water hose. Awesome. There are of course the days when we can’t find shoes, have potty accidents, and the everyday troubles of getting out the door. There have even been days when we had to change clothes because the boys escaped and made snow angels before I could stop them.
Not today. Nope. I was on time. We had backpacks, coats, the oldest even had on his 100th day of school t-shirt! And wait for it…….everyone’s hair was brushed. I was on my way today. We were winning. I felt like I had the day whipped before 7:25. Number one got out of the car bouncing with pride in his new shirt. I pulled away in all of my glory. The second drop off was sure to be on time. I pulled up to the stop sign where the kind, young, brand spanking new policeman stood directing traffic. He flashed me a stop hand, and I smiled and complied. He directed the outside lines; I waited. He gave me a glance. I inched forward thinking his frustration was that I wasn’t moving. He flashed me another stop hand. I haulted. He continued to give me a frustrated glare. I finally threw up my hands in confusion. He gestured in both directions. Oooh. I didn’t have on my turning signal.
I briefly felt embarrassed. He was visibly frustrated with my incompetence. Then I realized that today he was not going to steal my thunder. Nope. No dulling my sparkle. My standards cannot be perfection. Let’s be really honest. They can’t even be close to that. Even though I managed to royally anger the new police officer, I was on fire this morning! I accepted that my version of success looks different than most. And I am ok with that.
My apologies to the young officer for my inability to effectively use my turning signals. I will try to do better tomorrow.
❤ Shalom