Last Saturday, I woke up feeling thrilled at the prospect of spending some quality time with my kids. With my son off work and their dad not needing them until later, I envisioned a delightful day filled with Christmas cookies and a fun lunch outing.
While I was enjoying a relaxing shower, my eldest son popped his head in to inform me he was heading to the store for snowblower gas. I felt a moment of relief, a fleeting feeling since my divorce, which often vanishes as quickly as it arrives. Savoring the moment, I treated my hair to a deep-conditioning treatment, counting my blessings, until my youngest burst in, claiming his brother had accidentally hit one of our beloved pet ducks and we needed to rush to the vet.
Knowing my youngest has a tendency to joke around, I was skeptical at first. But seeing him in tears made it clear this was serious. I quickly wrapped myself in a towel, my hair still dripping with conditioner, and rushed outside with my distressed child.
The sight was heartbreaking: feathers scattered everywhere, my son’s truck running, and our poor duck lying lifeless on the driveway. We stood there in shock, embracing the cold and sharing our grief. Once we managed to regroup indoors, we had to deal with the aftermath, which only made my kids cry harder.
After a small funeral for our duck, I was freezing and decided we would still go out to eat. “It’ll lift our spirits, and we can brainstorm about finding another duck while we eat,” I suggested. They agreed, and we headed to our favorite fast-food spot where I stress-ate fries—mine and theirs.
After an hour of talking, it was time to drop my kids off at their dad’s. During the drive home, I suddenly felt a strong urge that I might not make it back without an incident. Why did I eat so many fries? Just as I was panicking, my daughter called, reminding me she left her retainers in the center console. I had accidentally tossed them out with the trash.
Realizing I had to go back and search through the fast-food dumpster, I practically spun into the parking lot. I didn’t even care about the long drive-thru line; my priority was finding that retainer. I dove into the trash, knowing it was in the bag. But more pressing was the urgent need to relieve myself.
With a used brown bag in hand, I dashed into the restaurant and just made it to the bathroom in time. However, I was greeted with the unfortunate reality of no toilet paper. Not wanting to pull my leggings back up, I sprinted to the next stall only to find it was out too. I debated my options, ultimately resorting to using face masks from my purse as a makeshift solution. I left the restaurant and headed home to indulge in a dozen cookies, grateful the day was nearly over.
Despite the chaos, it’s important to realize that sometimes, a day can be overwhelmingly challenging without any monumental disasters occurring. It can simply be a day filled with small disasters that leave you feeling drained for weeks.
For more stories on navigating the ups and downs of parenting, check out our other blog posts here. If you’re looking for helpful resources on pregnancy and home insemination, Progyny is an excellent place to start. Also, for those interested in self insemination, Make a Mom offers great products.
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Summary:
In this humorous recounting of a chaotic day, a mother navigates the ups and downs of parenting, from a tragic pet accident to the challenges of managing children and personal needs. Despite the overwhelming moments, she finds a way to cope and reminds readers that even the toughest days can be filled with unexpected turns.