Adventures in Mommyhood

So, the next time you are out and about and you see a mommy and her little girl and wonder to yourself about that crazy mismatched outfit the little girl is wearing; perhaps you think, "Wow, that chick is kinda cool looking, you wouldn't think she'd let her little girl go out looking like that. You'd think she has more of a sense of style or pride at the very least." Well, maybe that mom is soooo cool that she let's her daughter wear whatever she wants to encourage her sense of style and independence.

Then again...

Maybe that mom is an hour from home taking a quick trip to the "big" town to visit Barnes and Noble and catch a sale for paint and canvas at the craft store. Maybe as she left Barnes and Noble she was wondering why her daughter was a little whinier than usual. Maybe she strapped her into her car seat thinking she would fall asleep almost immediately on the way to the craft store.

Maybe she was wrong.

Perhaps as they left the parking lot, her little girl asked for water. Maybe after sipping on it, she gave a little cough-ey gag that the mom recognized and immediately whipped the car into a business parking lot stopping in the driveway looking intently in the rear view mirror at her child, and after a moments hesitation, pulled forward into a parking space. Maybe that was a moment too long. Maybe as she reached for the door handle it was already too late and the car seat along with the girl's dress were now covered in the stomach's rejected contents.

Maybe that disparate outfit was the result after a frantic and desperate search through the papers and crumbs of the car to clothe her child.

Maybe she was incredibly grateful for that random white shirt with red and blue accent flowers -- even if it didn't exactly match the plum colored pants with golden flowers.

Just have compassion on that mom.

Tomorrow, it could be you.