Mixed Emotions

Wrote this a year ago...but I am thinking it might explain how alot of you East Coast moms felt this morning!!

Know what a mom’s definition of mixed emotions is: A SNOW DAY!!!!

The kids are elated…an unexpected day off from school and the minute they hear the words, “Snow Day,” they are spewing plans…..
”We need to make snow angels”
“We need to have a massive snowball fight”
“We need to go that park with the hill and go sledding”
“Mom, do we have stuff in the house for baking cookies?”
“Can we have friends over, can we go to so and so’s house?”….

Now I am not too old to remember that glorious feeling of being a kid and hearing those words, “SNOOOOOOW DAY! NO SCHOOL!.....and my inner child gets excited too….

But as a mom, especially a working one, “Snow Day” throws me into a tizzy of mixed emotions. Up since 430 a.m. watching the news trying to figure out how to manage the day and my feelings.

Excitement:

Who doesn’t love a good snow day? I get fat just saying the words. There are no calories on snow days. Everyone knows that. You can eat everything in your house and bake things that never were meant to be baked and eat them and it just doesn’t count...and that excites me.

Anxiety:

When it snows on a school/work day and there’s enough snow to shut schools but not enough to close the world and my office, I have got a dilemma. I want to be June Cleaver on a snow day, not Gloria Steinem. I want to wear an apron and have warm hot cocoa ready for the children and their friends when they come in from a hard day of snow play…..I want to drive them where they want to go, take them sledding…..and I am supposed to go to work.

Anticipation:

I look out at the snow and at 43, I still turn 12. I want to do all the things the kids want to do. I want to play in the snow! And, I have to admit to a strange joy I experience when operating the snow blower. I love that I am capable of working a piece of machinery and accomplishing a goal. I could “snow blow” (or is it “blow snow”) all day. If lawyering ever fails me……

Angst:

The boss is at the office. He has made it in and I should too. My type A nerdiness continues to have me believe that I should always give it my all and “show my effort”….be the one that drives through snow and hail and sleet and be at my desk before anyone else….even though technology enables me to do everything I need to do at home that I can do at the office…..except be seen by those in the office…..Guilt has me outside at 6am cleaning off the car and hoping my babysitter can make it here so going in to the office remains an option.

Balance (achieved by 645 a.m.):

Isn’t that what we are always striving for? I cleaned the car, sat down at work computer by 7….took a few minutes to write this too….have reviewed a contract by 8….will be here when kids wake up….will stay till babysitter arrives…..will snow blow at an hour when neighbors won’t curse me (will do their driveways too to make up for Eric doing it at 430 am and waking their children)….will get kids situated with friends and plans and decadent foods….and will drive to office and show my dedication and please all, including me.

Like I said at the beginning, SNOW DAY = MIXED EMOTIONS

Thanks for mixin’ it up with me this morning and may your day be less conflicted than mine.