Monday, May 12, 2014

Mother's Day Recap (blogging vs. reality)

Blogging can easily have a smoke and mirrors effect. It's one of the biggest complaints from readers. Our posts can often leave a reader feeling very inadequate. It's one of my biggest struggles with blogging. Let me give you an example...

Mother's Day recap (blogging version)
It's Mother's Day! My husband and kids wake up early and scramble to the kitchen to prepare a delicious breakfast. They quickly make sure every detail is covered before placing it all on a tray to bring to me in bed. My door creaks open then I hear the glorious voices of my sweet angels singing "Happy Mother's Day to you" to the tune of 'Happy Birthday.' I sat up in bed and welcomed the tray of goodies and sweet loves from my family. Words of gratitude poured out of their mouths as they acknowledged what a wonderful mom they're blessed to have. I finish my breakfast while basking in the glow of my family's love. Wow, what an amazing Mother's Day!


Mother's Day recap (real version)
It's Mother's Day! John coerces the kids out of bed early enough to fix me breakfast in bed. One child pleasantly abides while the other awakes with a scowl. The door creaks open and I'm serenaded with the birthday song only this time they've replaced 'birthday' with 'mother's day.'  The tray of oatmeal and coffee is placed on my lap and immediately it's bumped by a rambunctious child. Anyone every tried coffee IN their oatmeal?  Reed unzips his pillow and announces he's the only one who actually got me a present and hands me $6! I finish my oatmeal and sip on my coffee as the wrestling begins and quickly ends, as that same rambunctious child hits John's coffee causing scalding liquid to spill all over his arm and our white quilt. John's temper shows, for the first time ever (literally) as the kids retreat to their rooms and I begin the 3 loads of laundry now required to clean up this mess. Wow, what an amazing Mother's Day!


Isn't it funny how a few flowery words and editing can make a very normal event seem like it's the best thing ever? Isn't it funny how we're often scared to show people the 'spilled coffee' moments in our lives for fear of not being perfect?

Well, friends, if you gave me the choice between the blogging version of Mother's day vs. the real version, I'd pick the real version a thousand times over. In reality, I giggled inside as all the craziness went down. It's so my family and I wouldn't expect anything different. I even told John thank you for showing his temper. In fact, that was the BEST Mother's Day present ever. For one day, just one day, the kids realized mommy's not always the monster but daddy's capable of it too!

7 comments:

  1. BEST Mother's Day post!! :) I bet the second version is far more common than the first, ours certainly has more similarities!

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  2. I love the real version, too! The highlight of my day was when I got home from running and my kids said they had made cards for me.... Emmy told me she made mine yesterday and sawyer piped in "I made mine 15 minutes ago!"

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  3. This is hilarious and so true! Real version of mothers day involved my 1 year old waking up at 730 with me and refusing to nap the entire day.

    Thanks for keeping it real!

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  4. Loved your post!!! Not surprised by your realness…that's what I have always loved about you. You will be happy to know that mine wasn't flowery either. Kids asked me what was for breakfast? I said I don't know you tell me. Ended with Enas getting biscuit sandwiches from McD. How is that for reality???

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  5. Haha, that's usually how it is at my house too. Love it!
    I got breakfast on the patio from them instead and it was so cute.

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  6. You are too funny! How sweet that your husband orchestrated breakfast in bed - that alone is enough to make me happy…..that they even tried! Life is messy! But your messy breakfast in bed still sounds wonderful to me….surrounded by your family!

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  7. You DID have the best of Mother's Days! The account is priceless!

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