Happy Mother's Day, Cinderella.

I don't wonder why Cinderella had a good time at the ball. Oh, sure, she had a new dress and shoes, two things to put a smile on any woman's face. And, yes, she got to spend the evening in the arms of Prince Charming (who I think would've looked like Brad Pitt. Not the old-Brad, from the beginning of Benjamin Buttons, the young, teenage Brad who rode the motorcycle. Mmm.). Those are definitely good reasons to enjoy yourself. But, the real reason she smiled all night was because she knew she'd finished her housework. You remember- her mean old step-mother told her she could go dancing only if she finished her chores. That girl worked her hiney off cleaning that house. So, after the disappointment of thinking she couldn't go, when good-ole Fairy Godmother came to grant her wish, you know in the back of her mind, she was thinking, "Thank goodness I finished cleaning!" Otherwise, while she was riding in her pumpkin-carriage she would've been worrying about those dishes that would be all crusty in the morning and when Prince Brad was trying his best to be charming, she wouldn't have been able to concentrate with thoughts of that bathroom that needed scrubbing.
I know just how she feels.
I woke up on Mother's Day morning with a smile. I could smell the cinnamon rolls baking and soon two of my cute boys showed up in my room with a plate and some orange juice. When I got out of bed, I was greeted by a clean house. Getting ready for church was a breeze, no rushing to iron or find shirts. My dinner for later was in the fridge, waiting to be cooked. It was a magical morning.
Of course, there's no such thing as magic unless you live in a fairy tale, which I do not. I worked my hiney off for two days getting ready, just so I could have a relaxing day. Here's my list, which I think could rival Cinderella's-
I-

• washed, folded and put away 6 loads of laundry to 'catch up' (tho', caught up only means that everyone has something in their drawers and there are no full baskets in the front room.)
• ironed 5 pairs of pants and 2 dress shirts
• mopped kitchen and cleaned out the fridge
• cleaned and vaccumed living room, TV room and stairs
• grocery shopped for cinnamon rolls, orange juice, and ingredients for dinner
• made dinner ahead of time
• cleaned the little boys' room (which resulted in two more loads of laundry)
• cleaned three bathrooms, including a 'teenage' bathroom that was just this side of toxic

So, for all you moms out there who had someone else clean, or whose house is always clean, I salute you. You obviously have it more together than me (that's not too much of a compliment, it doesn't take much to have it more together than me). And, if there's anyone who had to prepare for her own Mother's Day, just know you aren't alone. You, me and Cinderella, making our own magic.