Thursday 20 October 2011

Life lessons - stealing cookies edition

During a break at a work meeting today, I surveyed a table full of snacks and took two small packages of cookies. I set them next to my note book, sat down, sipped my water and continued listening to the speaker. I looked at the tiny packs of Oreos and smiled, delighting in how excited Deaglan and Naveen would be when I presented them.

And then it hit me.

I’d just pocketed free snacks in front of my professional counterparts. A room full of people I’d met only minutes before.

Does my burgeoning mother-ness know no bounds? I didn’t even have a purse with me for petes’ sake. I was openly stashing freebies for the kids. The realization flushed my face and suddenly the meeting room got much smaller. I felt my armpits moisten. It was like an out-of-body experience.

This was inevitable though.

I was never good at anything before. I once got an award for perfect attendance in grade four. Other than that I’ve been existing sort of C-plus. But this gig has me aiming high which doesn’t always look cool. I’m not going for yummy mummy or that mom who has it together. I'm after the meat. I want very few regrets when looking back. I need to know I pushed myself.

And so every day I pray for the grace to be at least good at some of it. I pray that I get even a tiny bit right.

And when that fails I steal them cookies.




P.S. A lot of you have been kind enough to comment on the photography lately. I have to give credit where it's due. Shaune takes a lot of the pictures I post - I try to label when that's the case. It should also be noted that on the last post, he not only took those beautiful pictures of the kids, he also took them out of the house so I could have a few hours to myself.

I'm joining my friends Rach and Sara for Life Lessons.

18 comments:

  1. This piece of writing just really appealed to me. You need to submit this one.

    I actually love that you thought of getting a goodie bag for each of your kids and not yourself. I can see they are ever present on your mind even while surrounded by the hectic activities of the day.

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  2. I think it's awesome that you snagged them some treats! I wished you'd smuggled some out for me- it would valance out all the pudding I ate tonight....

    Anyway - I bet your sons were super excited!!

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  3. I so would've stolen the cookies! I hope they loved them :-)

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  4. I can almost see the big smiles on your kids' faces when you give them the goodies =) I 'd totally do the same.
    Glad to "find" your blog via life lesson's meme =)

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  5. This was hilarious. And boy can I relate!!!

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  6. Ha! I'm laughing at this because I always do that kind of stuff too! In my mind it makes us great moms :)

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  7. I think we've all done it. I bet no one even noticed...or at least, no one who isn't a total busy-body.

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  8. I love what your goal is as a mama--to look back with very few regrets. That sums it up well!

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  9. I love how genuine this is.

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  10. You made me laugh, but it's totally understandable to grab the cookies for the kids. Somebody has to eat them, right?

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  11. Good grief. No shame needed - it's not like you were swiping cookies from other kids.

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  12. I love the simplicity of your writing here. And your honesty. I wonder how many times I've done this! Not at work but seriously, I can be shameless about taking leftovers for a party for "Maya" when they are really for me. :)

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  13. I think every parent does what you did at one time or another. Hey, my husband brings treats from the office home for me, lol!

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  14. That's a beautiful account of what we do as moms. We will embarrass ourselves, go hungry so they can eat, and jump in font of a runaway car for our kids. We do in instinctively and without conscience

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  15. I see nothing wrong with thinking of those babies when you saw the cookies.... except that maybe they don't need cookies.... but to take them home something from the job that takes you away from them all day.... hey that is great.

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  16. You know what, the truth is most people are sadly so caught up in themselves they didn't notice- or at least this is what I think when I grab an extra bag :)

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  17. That's what extra snacks at business meetings are for, to take home to our families!! It's part of the perks. :)

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  18. Goodies are meant to be shared. Loved this post, Kim!

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Thanks for your comment!