ALWAYS THEIR MOM
Motherhood was always the biggest dream I had as a young girl. From the time I was in elementary school, if you had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have said, a mom! I wanted to be just like my mother, taking care of kids, keeping up a home, actually everything except for the cooking part. I remember being in the kitchen making cookies, but never really succeeded in that department! My mama must have known how to make motherhood look stress-free, because I just wanted to be her!
But we all know that motherhood doesn’t get easier with time. I would often hear her say, “Parenthood doesn’t stop once your kids leave home. It just gets harder!” I’m finding that to be absolutely true. As children grow into adults with families of their own, the role of a mother shifts…. less hands-on, and more heart-wide-open. What I mean is that often they will try and parent you, and you just have to learn to get a thick skin, and love them anyway.
I raised three sons, whom I love dearly. They have taught me so much, and continue to. Now approaching 45, 43, and 40 in the next few months, which is so unbelievable to me. I’ve had to learn to step back and let them be who they are going to be. At times it’s hard, seeing them make choices that I wouldn’t, but so important to respect them for who they are and how they want to live their lives. MY JOB IS TO LOVE THEM, and I trust that LOVE will always find its way to their hearts. In my last blog post, HERE…. I talked about the concept of LET THEM, and already it’s made such a difference in my relationship with my sons.
Even though I’ve always aspired to be like my mom, the truth is, I’m not. She raised her children under different circumstances than I did, and in my opinion, she did it beautifully. I often hear her words in my mind when I’m facing a tough moment with my family. She continues to have that steady, powerful influence that every mother hopes to have, and I’m so grateful for it.
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My mothering wasn’t perfect….. no mother’s ever is. But my heart has always been in the right place. From the beginning, my deepest desire was simply to be the best mom I knew how to be. There’s no manual for parenting, no finish line to cross, just a lifetime of learning through experience. Through it all, my hope is that the love I’ve shown…. imperfect but sincere, will always be felt and accepted. That love is real and constant. I’ll always be their mom, and I will always be grateful for the gift of my three sons.
WISHING ALL YOU MOTHER’S OUT THRERE…. A BEAUTIFUL MOTHER’S DAY!
Speaking about the joy of being a grandparent…. WATCH THIS of my beautiful granddaughter!!
