sacrifice

     i know, as a mother, i am expected to make all kinds of sacrifices.  big ones and little ones. the big ones are pretty obvious.  we sacrifice exotic vacation locales for trips to the shore and the boardwalk.  we sacrifice a beautiful, clean car for a gigantic suv that seats all of my children comfortably.  we sacrifice a savings account for a good education and clothes that fit, etc.  the sacrifices of that nature, i'm ok with.  really, i am fine with doing those things because i really do love to see my kids have fun and enjoy themselves, so it's worth it.  oh, well, the car thing...that's not an issue of them having fun so much as i am happy to not have to take two cars everywhere we have to go, but you get the idea.
     the little sacrifices, on the other hand, well, they drive me a little nuts.  it's ridiculous, i know, but there it is.  take dinner last night for example.  i made chicken tenders and "cars" macaroni and cheese for the kids for dinner (see...that french culinary education is really paying off) and a stouffer's french bread pizza for myself.  (what?!?!  we went to the playground for awhile and i wanted something easy for dinner!)  no sooner do we sit down than katie says "can i have a taste of your pizza?"  so of course i let her and she decides she really likes it and can i share it with her.  srsly?  it's a piece of frozen pizza.  can't i just eat it by myself?!?!  needless to say, i shared it with her.  and she ate her chicken and macaroni, too.  another little sacrifice that is often made is my beverage.  jack is the KING of "can i have a sip of your drink?"  he's also the king of then finishing the entire drink.  it's constant.  but what am i going to do?  say no as he stands in front of me sweating and panting?  i don't think so.  these things happen all the time and for the most part, they don't even register with me anymore.  today though, i had a brand new experience.  thomas was allowed to have a "dress down day" for school.  he got himself dressed (with a little guidance from his dear mother, of course) in a pair of black shorts and his favorite "free hugs" t -shirt with his "cool" black dc sneakers and a pair of...wait for it...white crew socks.  srsly.  i don't even know where they came from.  the only thing i can think of is that he borrowed them from my dad or something.  it was weird.  anyway, amid all of the morning confusion, i notice the socks and tell him to change them into a pair of black ankle socks, even going so far as to tell him that there are some in my drawer if he can't find any (which, by the way, is another sacrifice.  i have to share socks with thomas when he can't find any) . the morning progresses in it's usual, peaceful, stress-free way (ha), all six of us get out of the house by about 7:20 am and as i walk to the car behind thomas, i notice something.  the big white socks he is wearing with his black sneakers.  so, in the spirit of true motherly sacrifice, i traded socks with him when we got to the car.  (and let me tell you, those white crew socks looked wicked awesome with my sneakers and leggings.  if only i had a nice gigantic fluorescent sweatshirt to go with them.) needless to say, my morning walk was delayed for a few minutes this morning so i could run home to change my socks and do away with the crew socks.  see what sacrifices i am willing to make for my children?!