What's a Mother to Do?

Today, I'm feeling a bit out of focus. Lost. The past 2 weeks have been stressful and exciting. The next 14 days promise to be intensifyingly busy, exciting, and stressful. Very little of that stress actually belongs to me but major events for one child or another of my family have come together in a potential collision over just a few days’ time. I don't really know what to do except offer support where I can and then just hang on for the ride.

 

Last week, one child showed me his bloody finger he injured while he was at work. It seems he caught his fingers in a conveyor pulley. He's fortunate, extremely fortunate. It's just badly bruised. I'm left thanking his guardian angel for making sure he didn't lose his finger, or fingers, or hand. All I could do was act nonchalant and take him to the doc to be sure it wasn't broken. I wasn't feeling particularly nonchalant, but what's a mother to do?

I can't make the wheels of bureaucracy move more quickly for another child. My child did her part and has dealt with seemingly endless indecision and foul-ups by others. She persisted in doing her part to push those she could influence. The wheels of bureaucracy, however, have refused to be greased into timely action. There has  been plenty of time to get some reasonably uncomplicated paperwork done. For some reason things are running 5 or 6 days late. Was it the record cold and snow that slowed the work?  Who knows. Can it the process be amped up in the last few days available? I sure hope so but it's out of my hands. What's a mother to do?

 

Then, there's the adventure my two youngest have found for themselves that has us in a tizzy. They joined a new, local robotics team. It's a rookie team in a competition style that's completely new to them all made up of kids with a little computer skills (at least those that they will admit) and a little robotics experience. They were just in it to learn a little and have fun. They weren't supposed to win anything, but they did. What they lacked in a quality robot for that first competition, they made up for in sportsmanship and charisma. They earned a spot in the state level competition. Many, many hours of team and individual work later found them with a much improved robot and skills that made them a more complete package. They weren't supposed to win but once again they earned a spot at the next level involving a 5 day trip out of state.  We only thought the work was intense before. I don't know if anyone's really kept a log of the hours the team has put in on this project now. The robot looks amazing, not at all like the sad little jerry-rigged thing it started out to be 6 weeks ago.  The team members are getting excited. Costumes? I really didn't dream they'd have time to think about costumes but that will be a reality. Team cheers, a tribute song, all signs that they are comfortable with each other and the progress they've made. I can't do the work for them. I can nudge or prod but it's their project, their team and I won't take that from them.  I'm in a support role here as well. What else is a mother to do?

 

Oh, and I've got things I'm supposed to be responsible for as well, plus a husband who deserves my support. Sometimes this role of a mom is overwhelming. It's like I can never do quite enough. What's a mother to do?