Calm Amongst the Chaos

Friday afternoon I was a hussling hussy. Ok not really, but I like to play on words. But seriously it was one of those errand running days, Ollie missed his nap from the stupid nap robbing car ride and I was to make a meal for a friend of mine (and fellow MOPS member) who just had a baby last week. I love to be of a service to people, but the meal thing just makes me nervous. I cook just fine for my family, but for others is stressful. I never know what they would like, if they will like it and then once that is all figured out, I never get the timing right. It is just a stressful thing, but it is always rewarded by the chance to sit and hold a newborn baby. 🙂 ahhhhhhhhh.
So anyway back to the hussling hussy. I made cupcakes earlier, then while the dinner was baking I was making a special frosting, I am sweating, Andi wants to “help” but is basically just wanting to eat the frosting and Ollie of course is running on a 10 min car ride nap so he is screaming for me to hold him. I am trying to make sure Lily has her drink, snack and diaper changed in the meantime of all this.
Andrew gets home, I am trying to be pleasant, and pretty much take off, Andi in tow as usual.
On the drive there I’m sweating, looking a mess, and driving the van which although it has ac it really isn’t much of a match against 110 degrees in SEPT (!) AZ. Andi says to me, “Mom you are a nice person.” I think she wants something so I say “Why do you say that?” “Well whenever someone has a baby you make food and take it to them and when people die and people are sad you make them food and bring it to their house… that is like a nice person.”
And want to know what I felt? Proud. Amazingly proud. This summer I have felt like I have been a less than mom. Setting poor examples by being short with the kids, frustrated and not thinking before acting. But just something as simple as making a meal a few times this summer and taking it to someones home made my daughter see me in a different light and all of a sudden I didn’t feel like a sweaty disgusting hot mess, even if I was, in my daughters eyes I was a nice person and I felt on top of the world.
How lucky am I?