Single Moms

One day on the way home from work I heard about an accident on the radio.  It sounded like someone had been killed and they were redirecting traffic away from the area.  Like I am sure everyone does, you think for a moment about how that is sad and then kind of let it go while hoping that it wasn't anyone that you know.  I followed my normal route home without another thought about it and picked up the kids from daycare.  Scott and I have a routine where he usually gets home about 15 minutes before I do and starts supper.  I pick up the kids and then we can eat earlier and have a bit more family time before they're off to bed. 
I hit the garage door opener and started to drive into the garage when I noticed that Scott's car wasn't there.  Keeping in mind that we usually get home relatively close to each other, there really wasn't a reason to worry.  But instantly my thoughts went to the car accident in the city.  While it wasn't his usual route, it is possible that he went that way to get home.  My heart stopped and my eyes welled up.  I had two kids in the car and Lily is the most intuitive kid on the planet.  She exclaims, "What, mom?" and I realize that we're still sitting in the garage.  I take the kids into the house and immediately check the phone for messages.  No blinking light.  I am trying to keep it together but my mind keeps going to what it would be like to be a single mother.  I know that is crazy because he showed up a few minutes later after running an errand after work and all was well.
But in that moment I realized how difficult raising two kids alone was for my mother.  Most single moms become single moms due to circumstance.  It wasn't what they had planned, but suddenly all the responsibility is on them.  They no longer have that person to bounce things off of.  Do you think Lily eats enough vegetables?  And they never really get that break that everyone desperately needs. If I want to go out with friends, I just make sure Scott is around and off I go.  If I want to fly with my family to Hawaii, Scott takes one kid and I take the other...and off we go.  If one of us can't get someone to bed, we let the other one try.  If one of us it at our wits end, the other one can step in.  If you are sick, the other one can take care of the kids till you are better.  We have two incomes and two sets of ideas. 
There are tons of single moms out there (single dads too!) that I appreciate but right now I am thinking about four in particular.  My mom had to go back to school to get a teaching degree so that she could support her family.  She took us camping even though she really didn't know how to pull the trailer.  She tried really hard to keep the live Christmas tree tradition going.  And I think she did a pretty good job of raising us.  I try not to name any names in my blog without first asking permission, so I have to go the anonymous route with the others.  One single mom got divorced with one small child already and another due any day.  I thought about her lots when I would be excited about Scott getting home from work everyday while I was on maternity leave.  Amazing strength.  I know another mom who was pregnant with twins when she learned that her husband was having an affair.  Who could survive the long nights with two newborns all alone?  And I know a recently single mom who took both of her boys on an airplane...alone.  After recently flying with two kids and a lot of suitcases, I don't know how she did it. 
But to all you single parents out there....keep up the good work.  You must have incredible strength. You amaze me!