Mom's Day

I am writing this post at 9PM at night on Mother's Day. After having a lot of time to relax today (because my loving husband did nearly everything today- IE: the kids were up and dressed for church by 7AM and then they served me breakfast in bed - our mother's day and father's day tradition) I thought I'd take a minute and post something very dear to my heart.

I LOVE BEING A MOTHER.

I love it. It is hard. It is painful. It is exhausting. It is heartwrenching. Sometimes it is downright horrible. BUT- and it sounds cliche, I know... I TESTIFY..there is NOTHING more rewarding than being a mother. Nothing.
I specifically want to give a cyberspace high 5 to all of the stay at home mommies out there. Holy crap. This stuff is hard. I have been a stay at home mommy for just over 7 years now. If you haven't done the math, I worked until Kamron was almost 3 and Bethany was 1.5 years old. They both started in daycare when they were 6 wks. old. I was blessed with a wonderful daycare lady, Roxy, who watched my children (and also, conveniently lived across the street from my mom and dad) and I am grateful for her example. I try to be a good daycare mommy like her. For those of you who don't know... We share our home on a daily basis with other people's children, which is sometimes hard. But I am grateful. I am grateful for my job. I thank my Heavenly Father every night for the oppurtunity I have to work and help provide for my family. After having Tessa this winter, I have found a renewed energy and love for my job. These little kids don't care if their mommy's work all day, they just care that wherever they go during the day that they will feel safe and happy and loved. I try to do that for them.

I AM NOT KNOCKING WORKING MOMS, because I know that in this day and age it is hard to make a living sometimes, even with both parents working. I have been on both sides and I am not judging. There are some working moms that can do it all. I could not. There came a time in my life as a working mom that my priorities were all screwed up and after much prayer and worry I quit my job and decided to stay home. The story is way more complicated than that....and some of the details are personal, but I KNOW that had I not followed the promptings I received to quit, although scary as they were....my life and my family's life would be much different now.

Now I am blessed. Beyond description. I will not go into detail about all of the things we had to give up or all of the $$ I used to make. It doesn't matter. Although we have less now, my life is more full. Some of my best friends, Kristina Wright and Virginia Herbst were once teaching a class on parenting and chores and etc. and they ended the class with a handout. It says "Mom, I am the PURPOSE, not the interruption. This has been hanging on my refrigerator for a good 3 or 4 years now. And I swear by it. It is my mantra I repeat to myself when I get frustrated about mommyworld. My children are my purpose in life.

And with that I will end by thanking my loving mother, AKA: my "MOMSTER". We have had our differences in life, as most moms and daughters have, but I am truly grateful to you, MOM, for everything you have taught me and are still teaching me about being a mother. I know you worry about if you did a good job when we were kids and I want you to know you did. Thank you for staying home and putting your career on hold to raise me and nurture me (and making that decision BEFORE the proclamation came out-wow). You taught me how to love children and make everyone around me feel appreciated and significant in life. You taught me that it's okay to forget the pile of laundry and sit down with your kids to read or play a game. You taught me how to teach my children. How to be involved in their education and how to stand up for what I believe is right for them. You taught me the importance of 'me-time' (although you never took enough of it for yourself). You taught me the importance of Family Home Evening and togetherness. You taught me that children are way more capable than anybody thinks they are, and most of them just need to be given the chance to prove it. You taught me how to be fair, while also understanding that everybody needs to be taught and molded differently. I always felt that even though I was just a child I was still a person of great importance whose opinion always mattered. You taught me how to set boundaries and follow through even when it is hard. But most importantly you taught me how to love my little children uncondtionally and to make sure that they know that everyday. And for that I thank you and give tribute to you. I love you. Happy Mother's Day.