Mom Up

There our times in our lives where we have to go beyond just being a mommy or daddy and become a true parent. When you have to "mom up" and go the extra mile for your kid. Whether someone hurts your kid, or they get really sick, or you need to make a big decision that will effect their future, these times are incredibly hard and, in the end, take a year or two off your life. But they are the reason we signed up for this gig. They are what make us more than just moms and dads. They are what make us the warriors that will fight to the death for our children.

I had one of these moments the other day. The Quiet Contemplator woke up in the middle of the night with a really high fever. Now, I am no fever alarmist. I have a kid in daycare. Fevers happen at our house about six times a week. I take all kiddie illnesses in stride. But this one was different. I don't know why, but it caused the mommy hairs on the back of my neck to stand up and yell, "Danger, Will Robinson!" It scared the shit out of me. I actually prayed to God to keep my baby alive.

By the time the sun rose, her fever was gone and she was all unicorns and jelly beans again. But I was not. I felt like I had been through the ringer. Even though she was fine in the long run, I had seen my baby's life flash before my eyes and had lost a few years off mine in the process. I was changed. Yet again. A new layer had formed on my skin, added by my intense love for my child. A layer that made me strong by making me weak. A layer that might add a few wrinkles to my outside, but will also add a new level to my inside.

Oh, sweet girl of mine. What you do to your mommy just by simply being alive.

You too, Bubba.