Mother's Day 2012

How lucky am I to have these boys who made me a mother?  I will not pretend that being a mother comes easily to me- but everyday I am grateful I have the chance to try.  Being a mother isn't about being perfect for me, it's about being willing to change the game plan every day, teaching these boys of mine to love and be loved, to have good manners, and to believe in themselves. I am so lucky that they let me make as many mistakes as I do and they love me anyway. In our home we frequently make use of the phrase, "tomorrow is another day. let's start over."  The boys need that a lot right now, but so do I.  Each day I can try again to be a better mom, and each day (for a few minutes at least) they try a little harder to listen and be kind.

I am grateful for all the moms in my life.  I have learned so much from my own mother, of course, but I have also been learning from my grandmas, my mother-in-law, my aunts, my cousins and friends as they become mothers, and all the new friends here.  I love the instant bond between women when you are a mother. I love that you can connect with another mom at the park- simply because you are both moms.

I had a few reminders this past week that not everyone gets to be mothers, or live long enough to raise the children who made them moms, or see the children they had live a full life. I know of someone who passed just after having her third child, another child helped pass out sweet treats to moms at church after just loosing their mother, and there are more than a handful of friends hoping to adopt because they can't have kids or going through painful pregnancies because they want kids- because it is worth it to be a mom.

I tell people frequently that being a mom is the hardest thing that I have done. Even after the late nights, early mornings, being ignored or talked-back to, defied, yelled at, cried on, run to, I am so glad that I have this opportunity.  I know that there is no mom without a dad.  I am so lucky to have the husband I do.  He does more than his fair share and really does love his boys. 

Adam, nearly 15 months old, still just taking a step or two.

The big boys helped Ryan make a cake. Tyler insisted on decorating it :)

They were so sweet.  Tyler would say, "mom you can't do anything because it's Mother's Day."

All four of my boys with their sweet cake.  They even helped clean up around the house and daddy made the boys lunch and tucked them in for naps. It may not sound like much to the average joe- but that is a minor miracle that the boys let someone else tuck them in.