41. You’ve Got Mail

A while ago, back when Target still existed in Canada, I found these adorable little mailboxes in the dollar section.

My daughter’s is pink, and I found a white one for my son.  Initially I used them for their intended purpose – so they could receive valentines cards from me on Valentines day.  But they never got put away after that Valentines day.  So that March Break, I used them each night to put in a note about what we would be doing the next day.  And as time went on, I would put little notes in them, or even little treats.  And of course, if we’re doing to be doing something special that I’ve managed to keep as a surprise for them, well they often find out by way of a note in their mailbox.  I also like to use these mailboxes as a way of reminding them how proud I am of them if they’ve done something really special, or been particularly brave.  Somehow, they seem to take my words that much more to heart when I’ve taken the time to write them out in the form of a little note.

As a mom, there are lots of things you love to hear from your kids – like the sound of their laughter or the sound of siblings playing happily together.  Well, I also LOVE to hear when one of my kids realizes they have mail.  There is nothing better than the shriek of “We got mail”.  (Which is usually followed by the pounding of small feet down the stairs and a mad rush to find the other child so they can both discover what mail they received together).

This weekend I’ve bitten the bullet and I’m taking a little trip with 2 girlfriends.  We’ve picked a destination that is far enough away that we won’t feel compelled to come home if one of our kids gets sick, but close enough that we can maximize our time away.  This will be the first time I’ve ever left the kids for more than an overnight (aside from my hospital stays).  As I dropped the kids off at school this morning, they were both a bit anxious about the whole thing and neither one quite knew what to make of it.

Cue the mommy guilt.

So, in an effort to remind them that they are always on my mind, as soon as this post gets published, I’ll be writing a few little notes for my little ones to put in their mailboxes.  While I won’t be around to hear their squeals of excitement when they find that they have mail, just knowing how they’ll react is enough to assuage this mom’s guilt for taking a little time to herself.

Wishing you all a most wonderful weekend!!!  And hoping that you find the joy in leaving some little notes for your loved ones, whether or not you’re going to be with them this weekend.