Sometimes I Am A Pitbull

 

Well good morning.

I was a very lucky girl today. The temperature when I woke up was a balmy 32 degrees signifying the return to my running path.

I am pretty sure it had been a good two weeks since I went for an outdoor run. While two weeks doesn’t seem all that long, it’s amazing how quickly one forgets what is required to run outdoors in the winter. Even when they blog relentlessly about their layering system.

I know you wanted to see my layers in the form of a pile of laundry.

Before I set out for my run, part of me was nervous. This week has been draining for some reason and my treadmill miles were few and far between. Nothing ached or hurt or bothered me this morning but mentally I questioned how my run would go – which is not something I normally do.

Part of me wondered if I would “forget” how to run outside in the cold, if I had it in me to run long or if I was even in the mood to run. Yes, I swear such a thing crossed my mind.

Within the first five steps though, all was right in the world.

In fact, my warm up mile chimed in around 8:20 min/mile which is pretty darn lovely.

Since long runs shouldn’t focus on time, I tried to enjoy the fresh air and even chatted with my good friend for several miles on the phone.

She was on her way to treat herself to a break in the form of a hot yoga. My friend is a wife, mother of two boys and full-time teacher.

This reminded me of something I read this morning before my run. One of my favorite dessert blogs, Confessions Of A Cookbook Queen, discussed and shared a controversial link  from a woman claiming motherhood and marriage to be “super easy”.

I won’t share the link to this horrendous excuse for an article; rather, I invite you to click on over to Confessions Of A Cookbook Queen to read it in full. I would much rather promote good desserts.

Anyone with a Mrs. and/or the label of “mommy” to their name knows there is nothing “easy” about either position and when the two are combined? Two of lives biggest challenges and joys that this poor excuse for a woman has never and most likely will never experience.

Clearly this woman has never been up with a vomiting child at 2:00 am or had to figure out how to change a diaper in the backseat of a car without wipes. I will venture to guess she doesn’t know what it is like to shlep kids in and out of car seats, in and out of strollers and shopping carts just to run errands and make sure food is in the pantry, let alone prepare a meal with a baby attached to your body in a contraption they call a Bjorn.

I will go out on a limb to assume this Article-Writing Person is not married because if she was, she would know how difficult it truly is to keep a marriage happily on track, especially when children and life happen along the way.

She doesn’t know what it is like to finally get the kids to bed after a long day either at home or in the office (or both!) want to lay down and hear silence – only to have a darling husband waiting for his turn for attention.

We women are all different – some of us work outside of the home, some work inside of the home and some of us do both. We all come from different backgrounds, live in different states and countries and follow different traditions.

Some of us may nurse, bottle feed, go straight to sippy cup or even, dare I say, put soda in a baby bottle. We use different strollers, sleep techniques and follow different schedules.

But, when we see each other in passing, we give that silent smile and nod because we know.

We know that no matter how different our daily lives may be, we are part of the same club. We go through the same challenges with our marriages, with our children and with ourselves. Our patience is tested on an hourly basis and sometimes, just making it through the day can seem questionable.

I challenge you, Ms. Article-Writing Person to discuss your thoughts with me. I would love for you to further describe how  mothers and wives have it easy.

Even more, may I provide you with an opportunity to discuss single motherhood with me? Surely you must have some opinion on us single moms as well, yes?

Should you take up my offer to chat, I will even use my twitter account and host a twitter party in your honor.

Fact: My friends sometimes refer to me as a Pitbull – super sweet and innocent until something annoys me…and then? Well, then I let loose and attack.

Now that this is all off my chest, please excuse me as I have worked up an appetite.

13.13 miles will do that to you, you know?