validation.

We are still surviving on paper plates in this house. 

I don't know how you other moms are doing right now 

but daily demands are swallowing me whole currently.

A few weeks ago a stay at home mom caught me off guard and wanted to discuss how I manage, she had recently done some work outside the home, requiring her to be gone most the day, only to get home in time for the supper, homework, baths, bed chaos. In those few days everything fell behind, laundry, cleaning, to do lists, evenings were just that much more crazy. 

At the time I played it off, 

ya know, the standard

"no big deal"

"we all are doing our best" 

kind of response.

Her comments have been brewing and I wish I could go back in time and say this:

Thank you.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for acknowledging that this is hard. 

Thank you for validating that this is hard.

We all need validation but the older we get the less we receive. 

That's unfortunate because the load we carry is heavy most days. 

We all just want to be seen.

Validated.

Appreciated.

Life is messy.

Lately I haven't been keeping up. 

Lunch money was $30 in the hole before I finally remembered to send a check.

Laundry is piled up.

My patience has been thin at best.

You sent me an email? Really? 

About what? Huh. 

Daycare is closed all week?

The whole week?

Huh. 

Who needs to be where? when? 

Thank you for validating the effort.

I had forgotten, or at best, pushed aside the realization that this is legitimately hard and 

sometimes there just is no balance. 

I am so blessed to have the friends I do.

Thank you for being honest.

Thank you for being you.

Thank you for really seeing me. 

Thank you for taking the time to say it out loud.

Thank you.

...and I owe you