Mommy’s Plate

When I stood before the buffet of life, I took my little plate and scanned what life had to offer.  Hmmm, I think I’d like beauty and brains, a husband, maybe a few kids, some money might be nice. 

I pretty much got it all:  a cinnamon-sprinkled gingerbread man, a couple of the sweetest munch-kins I could find: one pink and one blue, a huge portion of pediatric medicine with a side of extra hard work and a scoop of long hours.  This plate was already overflowing; yet, I decided that, not one, but two packets of blogging would also be in order.  Oh, and what about the beauty and brains?  Let’s just say, I keep trying to get a handle on that, but those cookies keep crumbling!!

Now, I’m not going to apologize for my good fortune.  I found that gingerbread man early on in the buffet line and I’m not dumb enough to put him back on the table.  I’m sure he sometimes feels like I’m about to bite his head off, but he keeps things sweet and spicy all at the same time.  And those two kids, well, it’s a labor of love to keep them from turning into spoiled rotten kids.  But love, luck and a little discipline have maintained my sanity.  As for the money, I had to get that through the career.  Money was not something that grew on any tree within a 100 mile radius of me.  Luckily, you make a decent living as a doctor.  BUT, I had to bypass a lot of goodies to get that.  I had to work to get there and I work hard everyday to maintain my professional career.  Some people think that beauty and brains come naturally, but I think they’re wrong.  The pursuit of beauty and brains is just that, a pursuit.  I keep learning everyday and I work at being beautiful (and yes, i’m talking literally and figuratively).  Sometimes, it happens, and sometimes, well, we all have our moments.  I don’t want to be an ugly person, but seriously, people, sometimes you just have to be.

I’m not going to lie, either.  Having this wonderfully full plate often leads to one satiated little piggie.  But there are many times when I’m left with a huge bellyache!  Ugh!  It’s hard to balance all these things and find some room for myself.  I didn’t mention the brussel-sprout equivalents I have on my plate, like, cleaning our house, doing laundry, chauffering the kids, and running the errands that move life foward.  For me, dessert is like being at home with my kids.  It’s something that I look forward to and it sure is sweet and releases all kinds of serotonin.  But if I have too much, I go into a post-prandial stupor.  I have much respect for the stay at home, but I can’t have dessert all day, everyday.   Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like to start with a nice clean plate, but that thought is very short-lived -that’d be stupid, my plate looks too damned good!

And I’m not going to be perfect.  It’s difficult to keep a plate like this balanced.  Sometime, somewhere, something, or someone is going to get forgotten.  And, honestly, that someone is usually me.  Or my poor husband.  Please just don’t let it be one of my kids.  That would really suck. 

So, sit back and fill up.  Let your cup runneth over, even.  I hope that this blog leaves you in tears.  And, no, I don’t really care if it’s from laughter, sadness, or boredom.  Just cry your eyes out!

Yours truly.