Today is my first "official" Mother's Day, but it is my third "unofficial" Mother's Day if I count the times I have been carrying a child on Mother's Day
I've gotten several phone calls today wishing me Happy Mother's Day, and it's one of the strangest things I've had to digest in a long time. Elijah is 203 days old (but who's counting?!) and I've techinically been his mother for 36.5 weeks longer than that if you count pregnancy... and I will. :)
Every day I'm blessed and charged with the task of being his mother. I'm responsible to make sure he grows up to be a good person, a clear thinker, and a driven person. I can't think of a better responsibility to have than the responsibility of being his mother.
Today (and the recent weeks) have given me a chance to really think about what being a good mother means. And though there are a million different things that go into it, the most important things that I think a mother needs I have been taught by my OWN mother, and now Laura, my mother-in-law-- aka "my mother(s)"
On my top five qualities my mother's have (and I aspire one day to perfect myself)
1. Patience: there are times when it seems that nothing is going the way I think it should-- the crying won't stop, the sleeping won't start, etc... but what being a mother has taught me is that more often than not things WON'T go my way, and that is ok too. It's all about how you pick up the pieces and put them together.
2. Joy: the ability to recognize how amazing life really is, and how these little creatures (which grow up to be BIGGER and more demanding creatures) really impact your life and bring you so much happiness. Sure there's times when he won't stop crying or won't be put down that I wonder where the happiness is-- but when I stop and think about it-- if he doesn't want to be put down it's because he is clinging to me to comfort him. He needs me. And that brings me joy- to know that I can provide loving arms for him.
3. Forgiveness: I don't think there is much to say about this other than there are (and always will be) times where Elijah will stumble. It's my job to be there to bring him back to where he belongs, and love him along the way. Since he's onl 6 months old it's not like I've needed to use much forgiveness for his actions, since he can't be acocuntable for them at this age. Mostly I know from my experience that there will come a day when I'll need forgiveness in my heart... my mother's have it, and so should I.
4. Giving: My sister sent me a card that said "A mother's work is never done." I'm 25 and I STILL on a daily basis need mothering from my mother. I guess it's true-- A mom is your mom forever and just because I'm old enough to now be a mother myself, my mom STILL is giving to me in many ways.... there are no words to express my appreciation for that. I hope that I can be such a giving person as my mother
5. Love: ever lasting, no reservation, complete and total, no matter what love. I don't think there is much else to say about Love.
I've gotten several phone calls today wishing me Happy Mother's Day, and it's one of the strangest things I've had to digest in a long time. Elijah is 203 days old (but who's counting?!) and I've techinically been his mother for 36.5 weeks longer than that if you count pregnancy... and I will. :)
Every day I'm blessed and charged with the task of being his mother. I'm responsible to make sure he grows up to be a good person, a clear thinker, and a driven person. I can't think of a better responsibility to have than the responsibility of being his mother.
Today (and the recent weeks) have given me a chance to really think about what being a good mother means. And though there are a million different things that go into it, the most important things that I think a mother needs I have been taught by my OWN mother, and now Laura, my mother-in-law-- aka "my mother(s)"
On my top five qualities my mother's have (and I aspire one day to perfect myself)
1. Patience: there are times when it seems that nothing is going the way I think it should-- the crying won't stop, the sleeping won't start, etc... but what being a mother has taught me is that more often than not things WON'T go my way, and that is ok too. It's all about how you pick up the pieces and put them together.
2. Joy: the ability to recognize how amazing life really is, and how these little creatures (which grow up to be BIGGER and more demanding creatures) really impact your life and bring you so much happiness. Sure there's times when he won't stop crying or won't be put down that I wonder where the happiness is-- but when I stop and think about it-- if he doesn't want to be put down it's because he is clinging to me to comfort him. He needs me. And that brings me joy- to know that I can provide loving arms for him.
3. Forgiveness: I don't think there is much to say about this other than there are (and always will be) times where Elijah will stumble. It's my job to be there to bring him back to where he belongs, and love him along the way. Since he's onl 6 months old it's not like I've needed to use much forgiveness for his actions, since he can't be acocuntable for them at this age. Mostly I know from my experience that there will come a day when I'll need forgiveness in my heart... my mother's have it, and so should I.
4. Giving: My sister sent me a card that said "A mother's work is never done." I'm 25 and I STILL on a daily basis need mothering from my mother. I guess it's true-- A mom is your mom forever and just because I'm old enough to now be a mother myself, my mom STILL is giving to me in many ways.... there are no words to express my appreciation for that. I hope that I can be such a giving person as my mother
5. Love: ever lasting, no reservation, complete and total, no matter what love. I don't think there is much else to say about Love.
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