I cried “Uncle” last night.
Well, more like “Mom, help!”
You see, Hubs has been laid up for about a month now with a stress fracture in his leg. I’ve been performing 100% of the active parenting and household duties, while playing nurse to him the best I can. (I’m not that good at it. But I try.)
Yesterday, my lower back felt the painful after-effects of moving a microwave and mini-fridge down to the basement (for aforementioned laid-up Hubs).
After a full day at work and an extra-long commute home (thanks, unfortunately timed thunderstorm), I cooked dinner for the fam, ate, then collapsed on the couch next to my husband. We traded moans and tears, both of us in a great deal of pain, and argued over who should get the last painkiller in the bottle.
The kids needed me — ya know, for baths, jammies and all that — and I just couldn’t do it.
So what did I do? Called my mom.
Thank God for my mom.
She and my dad came right over (they live 2 miles away) and did what needed to be done. While my mom cleaned up the dishes in the kitchen, my dad caulked the kids’ bathtub and took the trash and recycling out to the curb. They both gathered up the kids and their things, and took them home for an impromptu sleepover.
I felt such a wave of relief, knowing my kids and house were cared for — just long enough for me to get a good night’s rest and an easy morning. I woke up and my back felt much better. I worked from home in the morning, nursing my back on the couch and helping Hubs as much as I could.
Sometimes you just have to call in the reinforcements when times get tough. Ya know?
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7 thoughts on “When Mom Needs Help”
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So jealous your mom lives so close – and so hoping your hubby feels better soon. It is HARD having to pull so much on your own. Hugs and sympathies!
It is hard. And I’ll tell ya, if I didn’t have my parents around, I’d be “adopting” some. Because without that kind of help, what would I do in such times of need?!
I am incredibly blessed, my mother lives very close as well and is always there to help. In fact, she watches my daughter 3 days a week so we only have to rely on daycare part time. Thank goodness for moms!!
Amen to that! And hopefully, our kids will someday say this about us. 😉
I’m on the opposite side. I feel so bad that my daughter lives 4 hours away from me and would so love to be able to help her with her 4 kids. My younger daughter recently told me that she wants to bring up her own kids, not a babysitter. So I told her, make sure you live nearby and I’ll babysit.
I remember those years of working out of the house and raising kids…the worst part of it was when I couldn’t find good help, it would have been great to have a Mom nearby to help out.
This is a big part of why I decided to stay in my hometown, rather than move somewhere far away and “cooler.” It’s worth it.