Briefcase Mommy Day Dreams

• More research that drinking coffee is good for my health.
• Naps. Any time, any place.
• Not letting toddler out of the house again with two left shoes.
• A to-do list that gets shorter rather than longer.
• No new messages.
• Filing extensions.
• A color-coded, self-arranging, auto-prioritizing, audio-prompting, snack-schedule-coordinating schedule book.
• Endless patience every day of the month and especially that day of the month.
• Eating the whole meal without having to get up to get someone something.
• A rare night out with “Daddy”…er, I mean, my husband.
• A clean floor…oh heck, just a clear pathway will do.
• Dirty laundry that walks itself to the hamper.
• Dishes on the kitchen counter that will jump into the sink without asking.
• Sleeping in until 7AM on the weekends.
• A lunchtime pedicure, haircut, lunch!
• Anything, sans kids, but sans guilt.
• A locked bathroom door.
• Uninterrupted phone calls after you finally get a live person.
• A decent bedtime.
• An uninterrupted night’s sleep.
• Dead batteries in the toy car siren.
• Videoconferencing from work to see the kids at after-school activities.
• Second chances and un-do buttons.
• Wiggle room. And I’m not talking about in the jeans.
• The cheerleader inside.
• That one day they will know this was for their future.
• New tights and new cape for a brand new month.

by Julie Chen Allen