Vanquishing The Monster

I awoke today filled with excitement. Today was the day I had been looking forward to for months. Today was the day I was going to prove that "I am a better parent than you". Today was the day that all the planning and plotting and trying to figure out how to get people on "our side" had led up to. Today was the day I was finally going to come face to face with the monster. The monster has lived so vividly in my mind over the past few months. Today was the day that monster was going to be banished from our lives.....forever. Sheer excitement because after all, monsters have no place in our lives, right? I hopped in the shower, then put on my combat gear, which normally would be considered my "Sunday best", that I had carefully chosen the night before. That's what people like me do when we go out to slay monsters... right? I take one last look in the mirror. I give one of those, "Damn! You look good, boy. Now go kick some monster ass!!!" glances, as I turn the light out and walk away. Yup, I'm gonna show that monster that I am way better than it is. See, my shoes even shine...word on the street is that shiny shoes always distract monsters. My husband and I meet in the kitchen and compliment each other on our respective combat gear choices, then off we go to we went to kick some monster bootay!

As we arrive at the arena where the monster vanquishing will take place, I can hardly control my excitement!! Through security we go, then up to the 5th floor. The elevators open and WOW!!! Look at all the monsters!!! Good thing I wore my Sunday best AND my shiny shoes. I look around, hoping for a glimpse of MY monster in a sea of monsters. Nope, my monster isn't here. Hmmm.....oh well, I'll just play Candy Crush. Candy Crush sharpens the mind which always helps before defeating a monster. One game....two games...three games....then it appeared; out of the corner of my eye I see it!!! The monster is here!!! I give my monster the once over. Nope, no Sunday best. Nope, no shiny shoes. Is this really how monsters come to battle? Looking like that? Like they got up early and got ready to go to a 9-5 job. Oh silly monster, how I am going to enjoy this. My mind settles and I know I'm ready for battle. I got this. Minutes later the "referee" calls my husband and I in to go over the rules. We let her know that it was our rules or nothing. Certainly, we should be able to make the demands, right? We leave, and the monster is called in. A few minutes later we were called back in to begin our battle with this nightmare causing monster. A couple of deep breaths - I give myself the once over to make sure I hadn't picked any monster fuzz in the holding area - and this was it!!! I was finally coming face to face with the wretched monster. One last look down...yup, shoes still shining. I got this! Standing tall, shoulders back, chest puffed up.....ready or not monster, here I come!!! We sit down across the table from the monster. I assess my opponent; certainly not dressed for a fight. The referee goes over the rules, and we all agree. The ref turns to her computer to formally write the rules, and then it happened...... Ashley spoke. Her name is Ashley, and she spoke. Softly…asking about her children. In that moment, my heart broke. Her name is Ashley, and she is the mother of two of our sons. She is the mother who wants the best for her children. She is the mother that believes Timoth and I are what is best for her children. She is the mother who, right in front of our eyes, signed her name on a piece of paper that terminated her right to be their mother from that moment on. She is the mother who was putting her trust in us to take care of her children and love them for the rest of their lives. She is the mother who is putting her trust in Timoth and I to play by the rules spelled out before us today. So you see, it wasn't my Sunday best, or my shiny shoes, or my puffed up chest that defeated the monster, it was the love of a mother, and her name is Ashley.