Happy Identity Theft Day

It's never any fun to have your identity stolen, your credit card taken and used, or someone root through your trash to find out who you are. I have fortunately never had that happen to me, but I am talking about something that is far more gradual, and there is nothing I can do about it.
As a teenager I was known as the nerdy geek type, and had few friends in school. I never went to any big parties, because I was never invited and was not apart of the cool crowd.
When I reached college I studied the arts and became known as "Beloved Alcoholic Beverage" to some of my colleagues, and a trip to Greece reinforced it- but that's another story. Then I met Carpenter, and the rest is history.
Once we had kids, everything changed. I became an Olympic athlete. The lighting speed with which I could catch power puke before it hit our hosts' carpet was phenomenal, and who ever Knew my hands cupped together could hold so much regurgitated dinner?
I am amazed that I can still grab and tuck any child under my arm and dash to the bathroom and expertly navigate a maze of forgotten toys lying in the hall when one of them yells, "I have to PEEEEEEE!" I am even more impressed with myself when I actually make it.
I have been so frustrated at times that I have locked myself in the bathroom so that I could cry, count to ten, or just breathe, without a little one hanging on my leg
I have caught falling objects, and removed dangerous ones in the nick of time, all while doing an ever growing mass of laundry, cooking three healthy meals, and baking chocolate chip cookies for a school fundraiser or party.
But I never realized that I was truly defined in a specific way. I was walking with my friend Jo one night when we passed a little boy, his brother and Dad who were riding bikes.
"Hello Billy" I said as I recognized the boy from Gem's class.
"Say Hi to Cher, for me" I said to the Dad as Jo and I passed. He gave me the strangest look.
I turned to Jo and said" Guess it would have helped if I had said from Gem's Mom!"
She laughed and said that once kids hit school you now are identified by who's Mom you are. Forget being recognized by what I wear, or what I do, that has certainly changed. It is very true. I am now Gem and Jules' Mom, and will probably remain so at least until they are done school.

On this day, there are no cupcakes to bake, no school work to help with, no cleaning to be done, and the washer and dryer are silent. Carpenter brought me Starbucks in bed, Gem gave me a broach she made in school, and I wore it all day. Jules crawled into my lap and handed me a little framed hand print and a poem that read:
Sometimes you get discouraged
because I am so small
And always leave my hand prints on furniture and walls.
But every day I am growing up
and soon I'll be so tall
That all those little hand prints
will be hard to recall.
So here's a special hand print
Just so that you can say
This is how my fingers looked
When I pressed them here today.

It is moments like these that the messes made and the tears cried seem insignificant. I'm so glad I am a Mom, role model, friend and hopefully hero, to my two little girls.
My identity may have changed, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
So for all of you Moms out there
Happy Mother's Day.