“I have a sparkle prize for you,” he says, placing a closed fist on my desk.
I look.
I look harder.
“It’s pretend,” my three year old informs me, “the prize I gave you is a sparkle prize.”
I smile. I’m sitting in my ratty wicker chair, the one with an appropriated couch pillow to prevent poking. I’m trying to write brilliance but I fell asleep in the rocking chair again last night, so when I type nothing comes out except for Queen quotes. Weird.
My neck hurts, the coffee isn’t working, and I’m feeling an extra dose of inadequacy. I live my life to music that refers to the ABC’s and 123’s, or at least Little Ducks. My world is small things; Little Ducks, Little Turtles, Little Sleep, Little Frogs, Little Patience and NOT ENOUGH MILK! For a minute, my life seems too small to write about. Too insignificant.
“The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only – and that is to support the ultimate career.” -C.S. Lewis
I’ve spent most of my life looking for fame and fortune and everything that goes with it. Now I’m on diaper duty, living anonymously in the suburbs. I know that raising children is a most important job, but today it’s just so hard to remember what I know.
The truth is, sparkle prizes are invisible, hidden under egos and dirty diapers. Being a Mommy is important, not glamorous, but honorable. Being a Mother is a sparkle prize.
We are the Champions, my friend.
If you haven’t yet, drop by my facebook page and click Like. I am posting a photo of the world’s most hilarious marshmallow skewer. You’ll see. Also, check out Friends of Ostrich above. If you want to be part of this guestbook, upload a crazy photo of yourself to my facebook page and I’ll add it. So fun!
Love it. And you.
LikeLike
thats funny coffee is not working here after a night of zero sleep and i too looked in the mirror and heard queen lyrics! 'fat bottomed girls you make the rockin world go round! cant think why! xxxx'
LikeLike
Yes, champions.
LikeLike
I love that quote….I am a huge CS Lewis fan! This is a beautiful post and what I wouldn't give to hear one of my boys give me an invisible sparkle prize. Cherish that! Off to visit your FB page 😉
LikeLike
This is amazing! I love every word! Somedays I don't see the sparkle prizes either.
LikeLike
Throwing fistfuls of imaginary glitter in your direction. Hoping someone sends a sparkle prize my way today. And…you're doing good work there.
LikeLike
i love the Lewis quote! being a mom to boys is wonderful and really funny most days.
LikeLike
I love the C S Lewis quote! Imaginary glitter prizes are the best aren't they? My kids are older now, and I don't get them anymore. I miss them.
LikeLike
You said it, my friend! This is perfect.
LikeLike
Motherhood IS a sparkle prize. Perfect.
And although I've already admitted I am NOT an overachiever (so perhaps this will not make you feel better despite my intentions) I would have been incapable of creating even a fraction of the brilliance you share on this blog back when my world was all about the “little.”
Your words, your pictures, your metaphors, your boys? Brilliance.
Sparkly brilliance, if you will.
Which (as you know) is the best kind.
LikeLike
oh baby you said it. Best gig ever. I love your writing.I want a sparkle prize.
LikeLike
Janie was right–and you ARE a Champion. I'll be back!
LikeLike
I used to always have a heavy dose of housewifery-insignificance after reading any Tom Clancy novel. Wish I had known that Sparkles were an antidote. and Queen…
LikeLike
so glad for you in my life, you with the gentle reminder to hold close those sparkle prizes in the middle of my obscurity and inadequacy.
and one can't go wrong with Queen.
LikeLike
This is my favorite of the day. The week! You are stellar in all ways. Trust me.
LikeLike
Mama….ooo oo oo oooo…didn't mean to make you cry…
Sorry. I got in the spirit.
Hugs to you, my friend. Great big sparkly hugs.
xo
LikeLike
I <3 you bigtime. And those boys of yours will rise up and call you blessed.
P.S. I'm stealing you C.S. Lewis quote for my Facebook. Us old homemakers need enoucouragment, too. xox
LikeLike
Hello, I heart you, goodbye
LikeLike
I loved this quote when I read it on here yesterday. And then the evening hit, I got cranky, I woke up and forgot about it. I think I need to post both the Lewis quote and “being a Mommy is important, not glamorous, but honorable. Being a Mother is a sparkle prize.” on my fridge.
LikeLike
i LOVE sparkle prizes. and you may not always feel like it, but you DEFINITELY sparkle, big time. and your wise-beyond-his-years boy was just reminding you…
LikeLike
p.s. love the lewis quote too… never read that one before.
LikeLike
we are the champions. i like it. would it be awkward to start singing that loudly at moments when i need to remember?? no? good. 🙂
LikeLike
Now that I work full time I just want to stay home with my “baby.” I still feel like a champion, just one who doesn't get to spend enough time with my son 😦
LikeLike
“sparkle prize”. you speak my language, friend.
LikeLike
Aww, a sparkly prize. This is a great post!
LikeLike
who wants to live forever?
anyone who's got sparkle prizes to spare, that's who.
this post was all sorts of yummy. 🙂 not enough milk–is that tobin nursing you dry?
LikeLike
sparkle prize. brilliant.
i heart your son!
LikeLike
so perfectly written, to adress those same inadequacies i'm feeling tho my oldest is almost 17 and my youngest is independent and they are all moving too fast. just like when they were little and loved little frogs and little turtles and the little i miss.{do you know one duck that got stuck in the muck??}
plus, you got a sparkle prize. how amazing is that?! i just got a snake my son SWEARS he never lost in the house in the first place. yes, a real live snake. that's my prize!
xo
LikeLike