Those Squirmy Eels

I've been living the pseudo-single-mom life for a while, and came up with a pretty good analogy of how life as a single parent seems to go. At least for me.

Imagine you work at a pet store. The store receives a shipment of eels. Eels? Yes, eels, just bear with me for a minute here. The manager asks you to transfer the eels to another tank, and by the tone of his voice, it sounds like a task that would take maybe 20 minutes.

You plop your hand in the tank and grab an eel, squeezing it firmly enough that you have a good hold on it, but not so hard as to hurt it. You carry it to the other tank. This ain't so hard, you think. Transfer a couple more, then the next trip, to save time, you grab two. One squirms out of your grasp and hits the floor. You transfer the other eel, and try to catch the escapee. Some customers are giving you dirty looks.

You catch the slippery critter, put it in the tank and go grab another. You turn around, and about half the eels have managed to slither out of the tank. So you catch those and put them back. Look at your watch -- it's time to feed the hamsters!

You hurriedly feed the hamsters, and go back to the eel task, when a customer needs your assistance. You help them and go back to the eel task, realizing now it's time to feed the fish. What you thought should have taken 20 minutes will actually be a two day job, there's water on the floor, you've got little accomplished, customers are unhappy, and you feel like you've let your boss, the customers, and all the pets down. You're a big, fat failure.

So how does it relate to real life? The pets and eels are your children. They need to be cared for, correctly, in a timely manner. The customers are people in your life, whether they are friends, family, school acquaintances or people who give you dirty looks in the store when your kids act up. And the manager? That's the voice in your head that tells you that you can never do good enough. Or maybe there's a person who acts like the boss in your life. For me, it's that voice.

Just my opinion.

My blessings

Today seems a good day. The snow is ankle deep outside. The kids and I made a mini-snowman, and took a walk in the woods.

I like this time. There's nothing pressing. Christmas break has started and my daughter is out of school for two weeks. I'm sure we'll all get cabin fever and be tired of looking at each other soon enough. But for today -- nothing pressing, no work today, a silent, snowy world outside, and several mugs of hot chocolate -- life feels like a Snuggie.

I have hopes of cuddling up with the kids and watching a movie soon, and of fixing breakfast for supper -- scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes. I am so thankful for my family today.  I received a voice mail from my husband this morning in which he first imitated the kids clamoring to go outside and play in the snow, then reminded me to be patient and remember what it was like to be their age and how exciting snow was.

It was so touching, to know that knew EXACTLY how my morning  had gone, and wasn't upset I hadn't called yet. That he was thinking of me, and knew how to encourage me. Brings tears to my eyes still, just thinking about it.

I am just thankful today. For my home, this snow, this slowing down of life, my husband, my kids and my life. Thank you God, for all my blessings. Amen.