...to be a zen mom

...I wasn't.

Mark and I had several conversations before he left about all of the things that would become my responsibility while he was away.  The hardest part about being a military spouse is that we have this impression that we need to be two persons while our spouse is away.  Mark tried to help me realize this is impossible and instead I have to learn to focus on the important things and if that mean the office stays a mess for a year...than 'oh well'.

The other piece of advice that is ringing in my ear is one we both try all the time...to try not to yell as much.  He just said, "Try to be a zen mom".

Every evening after my children are asleep and I have the chance to reflect on my day I always think:
1)  Tomorrow will be better.
2)  Tomorrow I will calmly repeat my directions.
3)  Tomorrow instead of yelling I will whisper (the thought behind this is they'll have to cue in and listen more carefully)
4)  Tomorrow I will not let the fighting, tattle-taling, and whining bother me.
5)  Tomorrow I will be clear and concise.  I will not argue with them.  "No" will mean "no".
6)  Tomorrow I will be the calm, composed, and collected mom.

Well here is my AAR (after action report) for today:
1) I guess that yesterday was pretty hard to beat after all.
2)  How can I be calm when my three year old is running into the road chasing a balloon?
3)  It is impossible to whisper over a lawn mower, a water slide, and a delivery truck driving by.
4)  I failed.  They are persistent.  They have more endurance than I do.  They WIN.
5)  I speak English but I think they hear Latin.  They simply cannot be ignoring me ALL the time.  Can they?
6)  The "crazy mom" in me made her appearance again today.

My friend Beth and I were having this very conversation at dinner tonight.  And her comments were the same as mine.  We both came to the conclusion that if they didn't give us reasons to be become unglued...than we wouldn't.

Although I tried, I wasn't the zen mom I wanted to be....maybe tomorrow will be better.