The other day I hurried across the yard toward the swing set at my mom and dad’s where four kiddos needed pushes with an Iron Man doll stuck in my pocket.
I probably wouldn’t have thought much about it had it not been for my brother-in-law joking, “I bet you never thought you’d be caring an Iron Man doll around in your pocket.”
We chuckled, joked about goals, and went about the evening.
As I put Iron Man safely on Raina’s dresser that evening, I laughed to myself. After all, I’m sure not many people make life goals concerning Barbie-sized Iron Man dolls.
However, the reason I was carrying Iron Man in the first place was because Raina currently loves him (who knows why ) and carries “Iron Guy” everywhere. As her cousins went running to the swing set, she needed her hands free to keep up but couldn’t bear the idea of leaving him behind. And so, Mom got to carry him.
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No, I never had a goal about carrying Iron Man or, honestly, about carrying all my kids’ stuff everywhere even when my hands are full of my own stuff.
But being the keeper of the special things? The momma trusted to keep a loved object safe? Maybe that has been one of my life goals.
Maybe sometimes in the hustle and bustle, in the day-to-day laundry, dishes, toy pick-ups, and floor-sweeping, maybe sometimes I forget that taking care of my home and my family is my life goal.
Maybe in those moments when the dog is barking and one girl is crying and another is begging and Rob needs an extra hand and I can physically (and exhausted-ly) feel how much I am needed, I sometimes forget that being needed by these people is one of my life goals.
Maybe when a kid (or two) is saying “Mommy” over and over and over again not because they actually need anything but just because they want my attention, maybe sometimes I forget that being wanted by them is an awesome life goal.
Because this family and this life we’re so blessed to be living have been my life goal for most of my life. Pushing swings, tickle fights, bedtime snuggles, and all the emotionally exhausting moments in between are what I’ve worked hard for. They are what I’ll keep working hard for.
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So, I’ll carry Iron Man any time I’m asked and pray I don’t drop him or mess any more important part of these life goals up.
Originally published on the author’s blog