Mother's Day- Army Wife style

A mother’s day alone. I thought you might be interested in my day. Please do not see it as complaining but more as education for those who are not military. So I woke up this morning to a rotten smell in my bedroom and assumed it was the cat box in my room (remember we had kittens a few days after DH left). So I get up and realize my children are already awake (it is 6:30am). Instantly I am sad because there is no breakfast in bed, no cards or flowers, just me and that smell.
I came into the living room and told the kids to fix cereal for breakfast while I went to my room to have a minute. Then I asked the kids to do some morning chores. Then I noticed they were fighting and not cleaning. So I decided to deep clean my bathroom, at least looking at it later would make me feel better later.
Then I walked into the kitchen to find my son had started the garbage disposal without the cover and I had soggy fruity pebbles everywhere, including on my clean dishes. I raised my voice at my children and quickly realized I was wrong and took some deep breathes and apologized. I told myself to suck it up. So I did, I sucked it up and explained again what I would like to get done before church.
As I was getting ready for church I reached into the basket of clean laundry that has been setting there for a week and pulled out not one, not two, not three but FOUR pair of little girl panties full of poopy. All week Grace had told me she put her panties in the dirty laundry and since I did not see them laying around I believed her.
Then my wonderful hero called to wish me a Happy Mother’s Day, he sounded a little sad when I told him I did not stop and pick up donuts yesterday for the kids to feed me. Honest Michael was not feeling well so we came straight home. Guilt, I heard it in his voice, I could tell he was disappointed that he was not here to do something special and disappointed that I had not done it. He was so nice but we hung up and I almost cried (well maybe I did) because I do not want to have to do this alone and why did my children not think of something on their own.
We got things cleaned up and left for church. I sang all the way there and was happy to be there. During church t he pastor said that all the mothers without husbands (or something to that effect) should be in the front of the line. Yeah, that is what I want to be reminded I am alone.
Then Michael was in tears in church because he is not a making friend and is just lonely. I tried really hard not to lose it because I so understand his thoughts.
Dinner was great and the kids had a ball, we left there and went to return books at the library. Only we ended up driving around for 20 minutes looking for the library. Then we went to the PX and walked around and then to the park for the kids to play. While the kids played I cleaned out the van and then watched other daddies playing with their kids. We left the playground and went to vacuum out the van and wash it. Normally something daddy would do.
Then we headed to the movies. I have to say I was so upset because I could care less about the movies as long as I get popcorn. I love movie theatre popcorn. But this popcorn was gross, it was dry and burned.
Then we headed home. I was happy and enjoying the day and as I drove off post I realized that I am leaving post alone and had this heavy feeling in my chest.
But I sucked it up and decided I would stop and pick up KFC because I promise Rob I would. It is my favorite. So we pick up KFC and head home. I get the kids settled and then set down to eat. When I opened the lid it looked like burnt something. Then I realized it was liver. I was in tears, how could they mess up my order. I called to tell them and the lady was super nice and I felt stupid for being in tears over chicken.
I calmed down and fed the girls my liver. Please do not tell them they did not eat chicken nuggets tonight.
Then Grace came walking into the living room crying because she had poop on her foot. Can you guys what she had stepped in and tracked through the house? She got cleaned up and cleaned up all the panties I had left in the floor all day (please do not judge I got distracted). Then we settled down again WHEN….
Hope walks into the living room with a bottle of opened children’s vitamins. She said “someone ate the gummy vitamins”. Then told me it was her. So I called poison control. They told me it would be okay and she would just have extra energy from the sugar.
It is 8pm and everyone is in bed. Not asleep but in bed. I am smiling at my day and grateful for my day.