motherhood and my mommy

As my family has showered me with homemade cards, crafts and artwork today in honor of Mother's Day, I felt loved and so grateful for the privilege I have of being a wife and mother to this fabulous family of mine. Yes, it is hard. Yes, I have lost patience with some of my kids today. Yes, I have felt all the guilt that comes with that, especially on a day where everyone extolls the virtues of motherhood. Yes, I have also kissed and hugged my kids a billions times today, and enjoyed every minute of it.

I have also been thinking a lot about my own mother. I am seriously grateful for this woman!

She had 4 rambunctious boys when I came along. She was so happy to have her first girl.

This woman raised 6 children and after my parent's divorce when I was 13, she put herself through graduate school, worked and raised the last 3 of us on her own. She put up with me when I went through those teenage years, and taught me about hard work, perseverance, faith, self-less love and so many other life lessons.

She has continued to be there for me when I married and through the birth of five children and the adoption of two. She is a kind and loving mother-in-law to my husband and a stellar grandmother to my children. I know that I can count on her to be enthusiastic about all the little details of my life.

She makes me feel loved, and truly, that is what motherhood is all about.