Identity

I've gone from wife to stay-at-home mom to homeschooler to teacher to empty nester to grandma.  As my identity has shifted and expanded and contracted, I still want to hang onto mother.  It's the identity that feels the most fulfilling to me.

It's hard to have whole months pass when I don't see my children.  I remember fondly our routines and rhythms.  I remember silent reading time and snuggling on the couch while I read aloud to them.  I remember swim lessons and monitoring screen time and chores and having their friends over and calling them to dinner.  I remember nagging them to empty the dishwasher and pick up their socks and whose lego is that?  It wasn't always sunshine and roses, but I loved it.

Yesterday, Mark, who is training online in financial services at WGU, had his first real live call.  He was carefully mentored by someone on the phone who was there to make sure he succeeded.  The problem was complex and the mentor hadn't ever dealt with it before.  The student was upset.  It all lasted an hour and was stressful.  I was just merrily going about my day, unaware of it all.  After the call, Mark came and found me.  He said, "I just had my first call," and hugged me and I hugged him back because I could see he needed bolstering.  He turned on his heel and went back to work.

When it was his break, he came and told me all about it.

It's nice to know that they still occasionally need mothering.

I'm here for it.

P.S.  I am also fond of my teacher identity.  I was starry eyed over the school supplies in Walmart yesterday!