Accolades and bad dates

So, Hubby has been very loving and funny lately.  But, we haven't had much time together.  Date nights have become extinct.  So, imagine my excitement when he invited me out for the evening and set up child care.  His mom and dad came to watch our children.  I had spent the morning cleaning through the messy house and the afternoon helping the kids with homework, preparing dinner, and bribing them to help me clean up what I didn't have time for earlier.  I had a little extra time, so I went all out putting on make-up, fixing my hair, and putting on an adorable sundress and sandals.  You might say that I went slightly overboard for the evening.  But, I don't get to see a lot of Hubby and I wanted to make him remember why he married this crazy girl.  You might be expecting me to say that we went to a lovely restaurant or for a slow stroll through the park.  You would be wrong. :)  No.  I was invited to the district wide retirement dinner.  I'll keep my comments about the food to myself.  In all seriousness, it was a wonderful event.  For a profession that rarely gets affirmation and recognition, this was a night to make retiring partners in education feel special.  However, listening to the career record of thirty years of teaching depressed me a little.  After my semi-retirement to stay at home for my children, I've realized that by the time I start teaching again, I will be roughly seventy years old when I can retire.  Although it was a lovely night, I found my mind wandering and wishing I could whip out my phone and start texting someone...anyone...
Hubby would have frowned on that one! :)
All of the kind words, hugs and gifts made me contemplate accolades.  As a stay at home mom, I don't get a lot of accolades.  No one shouts to the world that I am a great mom.  No one nominates me for awards.  The daily grind gets taken for granted and everything but mowing the lawn gets "undone" four seconds after I do it.  I sat there last night thinking, "what would I want someone to say about me?"  As I listened to the wonderful compliments like "compassionate, and patient, and committed" I thought about my job.  I am shaping the lives of future dreamers and doers.  I am pouring into boys that will hopefully grow into men that love the Lord and respect all people.  Everything I do matters!  Last night I was up for three different kids.  One couldn't sleep and asked me to sit and rub his back so he could go to sleep.  One came running into our bed after the one and only rumble of thunder we had all night.  And one came in because the bandage came off his finger and he needed it wrapped in new gauze.  In the middle of our dressing change, he turned completely pale and said he felt like throwing up.  I also ran to grab a bucket only to realize that he was not sick...just woozy from seeing his stitches.  And then I got up at 5:30 to iron pants for Hubby and pack his lunch.  Yeah, I'll take those accolades now! :)
Last night I did receive accolades.  She didn't know she was delivering them.  And it was in the quiet of the hallway, not spoken from a stage.  But the assistant principal of our elementary school came running over to me last night after the event.  She wanted to check on my latest ER case and in the process delivered some heartfelt and beautiful words about my children.  She used words like compassionate, patient, and committed. I thanked her for her wonderful words about my children and she looked me in the eye, smiled, and said, "Your children are like that because of your investment in them."  She's right. Sort of.  They are wonderful creatures because we are trying to teach them God's best for them.  But, we are investing in their character.  It was after this that I realized that I don't need a night dedicated to myself.  My accolades are named Z, Noodle, B and D-Dog and they are constantly showing me the things I'm doing "right".  They also show the MANY things I'm doing wrong...but we'll save that for another post. :) Let's keep it real.  They still end up in the office and one of my kids(that shall remain nameless d-dog is the source of our latest two rounds of stitches.  There are no claims to perfection...only dedication, here!
So, moms...keep investing in your kids.  Even when you don't feel like anyone sees the sacrifices...your kids are living reflections of your work.  Unless they are in jail.  And then you had nothing to do with it...It was free will and sin. :)  Seriously! ;)