Happy early Mother’s Day to all in the sisterhood of motherhood!
Living out this calling of motherhood has been my greatest challenge, and also my greatest blessing.
I love being a mom!
I took some time this week to reflect on the years of my motherhood thus far. I am blessed to be my children’s mother.
The middle of the night feedings. The nights of rocking my baby to sleep, softly singing sweet lullabies. Getting little to no sleep and attempting to function the next day.
Washing bottles. Changing diapers. Mixing formula. Washing spit up-stained clothing, praying the stain would disappear.
The crayon on the wall days. The banging on the pots and pans days. The toys all over the floor days. The house was a mess days, and the days I was excited to sneak in a shower.
Crying on the first day of school. Crying on the first trip to the emergency room. Crying because some days I had no idea what I was doing in this thing called motherhood.
The snuggle times. The tickle times. The playing game times. The smiles. The laughs. The swinging in the blanket times.
Cheering on the sidelines of every soccer, softball, football, volleyball game. Attending everything a mom could possibly attend to support my children. Driving the family taxi some days morning, noon and night to games and practices.
Driving permits and licences. Seeing my child behind the wheel for the first time. Serious car accidents and traffic violations. A whole new level of prayer for protection.
Graduations of preschool, Kindergarten, elementary school, middle school and high school. Feeling the heart strings being stretched with each one.
Beholding our daughter’s empty bedroom after she moved out on her own. Fighting back the tears trying to grasp how all of this happened so quickly.
And still this week, doing all I can to support my children in some of the biggest life challenges they’ve ever faced. Instead of being the one leading, I’m now the one behind them supporting, lifting and encouraging. And still so proud of these two.
Moms, there is no one like you in your children’s lives. No one has the influence on them that you do. No one has the bond with them that you do.
No one is more important in your children’s eyes than you.
Yes, we’ve all messed up in our motherhood. We’ve all made mistakes. We’ve all made wrong decisions, said things we shouldn’t have said, and lost our patience. But our hearts have always been in the right place.
I encourage you in the next couple of days to pause life for a time, and reflect on your journey of motherhood. I was blessed as I did so. I believe you will be too.
From a mom still finding her way in this thing called motherhood, Happy Mother’s Day, incredible mom! I pray your day is blessed.
Julie
It is such a sweet thing to look back and remember. And yet my eyes always get misty thinking those days are over–when my kids were at home and we shared each day together. But it is a joy to see the people they are now and to share times together. Being a mother doesn’t end. It just changes. Thanks for sharing your sweet memories with us, Julie.
Thank you, Sabra. You know exactly how I’m feeling. Being a mother doesn’t end. It just changes. Yes, seeing our children grow up and who they are now is a beautiful gift. I pray God blessed you richly on this Mother’s Day! Thank you for sharing in my memories!