PreachTeach: Blog by Erica

“Mommy, you’re just a kid mom!”

This is what I hear from the mouth of my sweet and introverted, Moo, who is strapped in his carseat in the rear of the van.

“You’re just a kid mom. Dads and Grandmas work, but you are just a mom.”

Just a mom.

In his little four-year-old reality, that is the truth. Every morning his daddy is at work before he wakes up. His grandma leaves for work as he sucks down his Go-gurt and watches Paw Patrol in his jammies. And mommy… yep, she stays home.

As I am parking my Mom Rocket (AKA mini van) that morning in the Target parking lot, I gaze down at my yoga pants and T-shirt. I look out the window to see a sea of other moms parking mini vans and strolling into the store in their yoga pants and tees. Wow, I am full-blown MOMMY.

That’s when I realize, I am a little offended by those words, “JUST a mom.” Okay, A LOT offended.

I worked pretty freaking hard to be here, buddy! You know those tassels you like to play tug-of-war with? Yeah, I studied my tail off in college to earn those ‘honors.’ I’m not JUST a mom. I have a Masters Degree, which means I am, by academic standards, smarter than your father and grandmother. So there! And you see this T-shirt, mister? This is the T-shirt of the state champions I coached. I am not JUST a mom. I AM A BIG DEAL, SON!

Once I finished proving my point, imaginarily of course, I pushed the automatic door opener (a sweet Mom Rocket luxurey) and out hopped Moo. Clearly unfazed by this new found discovery of how incredibly awesome I am. Just a mom, seriously?!

That’s when he does it… he snaps me out of my ego-party and back to reality.

Moo grabs my hand and starts skipping. “Mom, can I get a new Batman car for my birthday?” His birthday is in ten months.

“Sure, Buddy!” I say as I laugh to myself. This curly-top, big brown-eyed boy, who is so naturally happy that he skips wherever he goes, calls me mom. ME!

Of all the things I ever wanted to be when I grew up, Mom was on the top of my list. A lot of people graduate with honors. A lot of people have framed papers that tell them how smart they are. A lot of people teach and coach. Only one person gets to be HIS mom. And I know I work pretty freaking hard to be a good mom to him.

I’m not JUST a mom. I’m HIS mom.

I am very proud of that!

To all the other moms and dads out there, know you are the world to those littles that hold your hands!

XOXO- Erica