Lately I’m always running late 

or falling behind

and everywhere I go 

I’m holding up the line

as I dig through my diaper bag 

for a wallet I can’t find 

balancing a baby on my hip

where she leaves a patch of drool 

on my side 

But the reason I’m late

is because when my toddler asked

for one more story I said yes 

and I could’ve changed my shirt

but instead I embraced the mess

There will always be more 

I should be doing, 

but time with them is less and less

and these days I’m learning

to let go of the rest

So the next time 

you look at a mother

I hope you see a woman

doing her best.