Single Mom Gig - Multi-tasking Boss

Yesterday I was at work. I am at work five days a week. 50 hours. Jackson and Braxton were working. I would need to pick Jackson up from work on my way home because we have a lot of drivers and two cars - each with almost 200,000 miles on them. I would get home and clean out the dishwasher, load the dishwasher and make my children a warm dinner. I would then put my laundry away, work my business, prepare my clothes and such for the next day and tuck myself into bed after saying personal and family prayers.

While I am at work, Colton is usually home alone. Kaydon spends time with Bert when he isn't home. Colton has done really well this summer, but he is lonely and gets bored. He has done chores like a champ. He takes baths. He goes and cleans up the complex for me. He watches movies and plays games. Yesterday, though... yesterday was a struggle and he was the only one home. He texted me and called me often... while I was at work, mind you. Where I am a supervisor and have people in and out and calling and on the radio and writing contracts and paying bills and dealing with issues... Finally, he called me wanting to make from-scratch brownies. Okay, I thought. Let's do this.

I talked him through the whole thing over the phone. I giggled. I cringed every time he said, "Owie!" I smiled. I shook my head. I listened as he went through the motions of melting the chocolate slowly over the stove, while mixing the other ingredients in a separate bowl. I talked him through mistakes and do-overs. He followed the directions super well, but at times got a bit distracted. He tried to "mix" the batter with an electric gravy stirrer. I heard a few things fall and I heard him burn himself on the oven rack. But, I was at work. And, as a single mom who has three jobs and four teenage boys, one with disabilities, and I am trying to keep it all together so I don't have another stroke and I am constantly juggling in my mind what needs to happen now and next and after that... I do my best to balance it all.

Colton sent me this text:

I got home to a messy kitchen that smelled delightful and where a pan with homemade brownies laid, covered in a clean dish towel, made by my autistic son who just needed his mom for 20 minutes. Somehow, I was able to be there for him, from a distance.

I do it all. And, I'm so thankful.