Motherhood is nothing short of miraculous. Be it the miracle of developing a new life or keeping that life alive once you have brought it into the world, every moment should be cherished. From the first prenatal flutter, to holding that precious - I cannot believe how tiny - angel, through the year of firsts: smile, laugh, food, words, steps, to birthdays and holidays, and moments that take your breath away. It is momentous and life altering in a way that you can not even comprehend until it happens to you.
Then there is the lack of sleep and energy, tantrums and whining, the boo boos, and the constant battle of the wills. There is the dish of pasta chucked to the floor and what seems to be barely enough coffee. Then somewhere amidst the madness, you realize you would not trade any of it. Not even the blood curdling screaming at the grocery store when you firmly tell your toddler, "No, you cannot eat M&M's for dinner." (Okay, maybe that part.) One day this realization washes over you... this little boy has changed for your life for nothing short of the better. Miracles do exist and one is standing right in front of you holding up a Mother's day card with his hand prints proudly stamped inside.
Mother's are warriors, teachers, friends, chefs, seamstresses, your first admirer, and your biggest fan. They are Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny. They are the reason you know the saying is "feed a cold and starve a fever." They fix the unfixable, find the inevitably lost, and really can make it all better with a hug. Mother's day is not just some Sunday in May where you go to brunch with a bouquet of flowers. Mother's day is every day.
Every day I wake up, I am a mother first and Sarah second. My day starts with a tight squeeze from one of the sweetest two year olds I know and only gets better with every smooch. I am reminded of what is really important in life and it is not the extravagant gifts or the cliched cards. It is the love that you did not know was possible for another human being. It is sharing a meal with the people you care about while no one is caring about technology. It is unplugging from the drama of gossip and judgment and laying belly down on the ground pushing a car back and forth with this angel who today thinks this may be the funniest thing to ever happen and that contagious belly laugh echoes throughout the halls.
Becoming a mother drives me to be the best version of myself I can be. I strive to be a positive role model and to lead by example. I am motivated in ways never before possible because this little curly top depends on me. Depends on me to greet him at 5 am with a smile and be present and on my game from literally dawn until dusk. Depends on me for knowledge and guidance, compassion and support. And on those days when 5 am came hours to early, or my boundaries have been tested, I take a deep breath and remember how blessed I am. Blessed to have this 2 foot side kick who thinks I have the power to "turn down the sun." Blessed to have a baby that wants to snuggle before bed. Blessed to have a baby.
Being a mother takes boundless love and endless patients. It will change your life and make you a better person. It will restore your faith in god and humanity, that someone so tiny can alter your entire world. It will make you realize that if it had not been for your own mother, grandmother, great grandmother that you would not stand proudly in front of this blessing, that just peed in the potty for the first time, or said thank you with out being prompted, held the door open for you, or drew you a picture, with the ability to love and nurture them. Had it not been for all the times mom wiped your tears, and brought you soup when you were sick, or cheered you on from the sidelines, or always managed to have that shirt with the awful stain ready to wear just in the nick of time, you would not have the compassion and courage to embrace your own parenting journey.
So on Mother's day and every day be grateful for this truly amazing blessing and do not dwell on the diapers or sulk through the tantrums, smile after stepping on that Lego in the dark, cherish the sound of belly laughs, and soak in the smell of sunscreen and just bathed curls. Remember every moment you were moved to tears, because that little nugget will grow up and know better. The "Mommy's" turn into "mom (eye roll)" and it will be years before they think Mom really is magic, again.
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