A Short Cut

A short cut. What comes to mind when you read those words?
Almost always, its the idea that there's a quicker way to get to a destination; be it a craft project or a car ride.
For me, the phrase has a new element of meaning.
Last week, my darling BE decided that 6 a.m. was the perfect hour for a short cut. the kind that comes with scissors, and his little sister's beautiful, almost lower-back length hair.
and what a SHORT cut it was.
Pink Elephant is now sporting a stack cut... the longest piece of hair on her head reaches her chin.
I cried.
and cried.
(Partly because of the rediculous steroids... see previous post.)
But mostly because she just looks SO much OLDER, now.
Little "baby girl" will be 4 in just a couple months, but she is still my "baby"! the problem is now she doesnt look the part.
Ah yes, short cuts.
PE's hair is a short cut.
BE's decision to use the scissors to play Paul Mitchell?
a short cut to the end of my patience!
(I wish I were kidding!)
I suppose I am the ONLY parent on the face of the planet who will actually admit that there are occasions where I wake up and dread the fact that i have another day full of "misadventures" awaiting me.
Like waking up to "craft time" in which half the bedroom and all of both kids are covered in glue.
Like realizing that the sink has been dribbling water for the last 2 hours since someone last washed their hands.
Like 6 a.m. short cuts.
Since I am the only one who will admit to burnout, then let me stand in my solitary camp and say loudly and with much gusto, "I wish there was a short cut to getting these kids raised!!"
I do mean that.   And I don't.       But mostly, I do.
I wish there WAS a short cut to the monotenous routine of "please do not do that" "that is not how we are supposed to act" "no really, I meant stop the first time"....
but there's not.
you know it, and I know it.
there is no short cut to this parenting thing.
its a long, long road, and theres alot of scraped elbows, snotty noses, and scuffed knees. (and thats just ME, on the floor groveling before God for some help and peace of mind... nevermind the kids! lol)
there are no short cuts.
not if you want to "do this right" anyway.
I supposed I could spend all my time distracted, ship 'em off to school, sports, relatives to visit, hobbies, summer camps, youth activities, retreats, etc. keep 'em spinning, keep the calendar full and the minivan gassed up.
and take the whirlwind short cut through parenting.
where the sagest advice i have to hand out is "mind the babysitter, and please stop picking your nose." ...and off to a mani/pedi and a latte.
But you see, there's just this thing inside me that just stubbornly WON'T let me... i don't know if its pride, i dont know if its the tenacity of a mother's heart, but theres just this force sticking in my chest that makes.me.stay.put.
that makes me CARE. that makes me TRY. AGAIN. and AGAIN.
and makes me keep coming back for MORE. there are no short cuts to brilliantly, well-done parenting.
and no, my parenting is NOT brilliant. some days its not even anywhere close to "well-done"!!
But it's not one of short cuts.
Someday, I have to stand before the Lord and give an account for who I was and what i did. and part of that is my mothering. I don't want to have to pipe up and say "well you see, Lord, I took a short cut...."
and thats why, even when my days are full of hair-vacuuming and short cuts,
I can take a deep breath and grit my teeth.
I'm in it for the long haul.
No short cuts here.