Traffic. And lots of it.
All was going very well. We had just stopped for a nice lunch, and then proceeded to run our little boys ragged through the small strips of grass that lined the restaurant. I couldn't help but laugh, as the only other people doing the same were pet owners, who apparently have a lot in common with parents traveling with small children.
After we changed diapers in the back of our overflowing van, we artfully coaxed the boys back into their carseats by promising a "quick" trip home full of Curious George, soy milk, song, and if they were sweet, the occasional cookie. Although they weren't fully convinced, they went ahead and climbed in anyway, and we started on what we hoped would be our fast drive home.
The first hour went great, as Jack quickly fell asleep for his afternoon nap. Rowan, on the other hand, has discovered that he's not much of a car sleeper. In fact, he prefers to giggle deliriously, while throwing toys and blankets from his carseat and yelling for Mommy to get them. We kept hoping that the sleep would overtake him, but alas, he has more willpower than we gave him credit. Although I did grow weary from the incessant toy fetching, Jody and I were still pleased. I mean, Rowan may not have been napping, but at least he was happy, right? Oh, and not to mention Jack--total rockstar! How in the world he slept through his brother's wildness, I'll never know.
Then, little by little, as it so often happens, the cars around us began to slow, and before we knew it, we were c-r-a-w-l-i-n-g down I-75. By this point, Jack had woken up, none to happy to find that he was still stuck in the car. Rowan passed the point of sanity and started making random noises that were boarder line animal. To make matters even more pressing, just as we topped a small hill and saw cars lined in front of us for miles, Jody announced that we're also running low on gas.
It was a this point that my heart sunk. It was official. My family had been cooped up in the car for going on six hours, my husband was hungry because he was going to wait until later to get a sandwich, and later turned out to be never, and now I was going to run out of gas and be stuck on the side of the road with my two year olds. Worst Mommy of the Year Award, here I come!
Instead of going into full on panic mode, which to be honest, usually happens, we did what we do best--eat. I pulled out some snacks and started shoveling them as fast as the boys could catch them. Just like their mommy, snacks tend to make my boys very happy, and though I was exhausted, things were looking up for the moment.
And that's when I saw her. As a general rule, I try not to make eye contact with any drivers around me, especially if we are in stop and go traffic; but for some reason today, I broke my rule, and I'm so very glad that I did. In between the snack procession, I looked up to see a family pass by in a mini van beside us. The mom in the front passenger seat was looking out the window, watching me hand out foods to my little birdies. She gave me the kindest smile, and instantly, a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I beamed right back, and just like that, she blended into the rest of the million cars trying to inch by on the highway.
You see, this wasn't just a smile. This was encouragement. This was acknowledgement, that yes, while being a mom is such a blessing, at times, it is very challenging, too. Her sweet smile said that while her kids in the back seat where now grown, there were days when she, too, was turned around, trying not to get strangled by the seatbelt while she passed out goodies to her tots. With one simple gesture, this mom changed my whole outlook on this debacle called The Drive Home.
We may not have known each other, but we both knew the one thing that counts: we're both moms.
Motherhood comes with both successes and challenges, and the key to making it through those tough times is support. As moms, we have to stick together. Whether you've been a mom for forty years or a new mom of one, we all share a special bond. I think that's why it's so important that we all remember what it was like to be in that Mommy's shoes. You know, the one who is having a rough go of it and needs a little encouragement. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple smile to turn a day around, or in my case, a trip.
As you can guess, the next 2 1/2 hours of our drive went by without a hitch. We even stopped by Race Trac to get some yummy frozen yogurt (both a treat for the boys and their tired mommy). And as for me, I'm glad to be home, but I'm most thankful for my mommy friend. She saved the day.
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| An armful of Love |
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