Honoring Mothers

This mother's day I want to honor all mothers. The ones that have come before me and I have learned so much from. The ones I look up to and strive to be like. The ones that are looking down at me from above. The ones that have become my friends through motherhood. The ones that I have hopefully helped in some small way. Mothers everywhere. You are doing the best you can and it shows. You are amazing. You are noticed.

I notice you spend so many hours caring for your family, and when you make sacrifices for everyone else. There you are, rushing from work, school, sporting events and back home.  Cleaning up spilled milk, feeding them, folding their laundry and helping with school projects.  Packing lunches, teaching the Faith, dusting the house and picking up the toys for the umpteenth time each day. You are their biggest fan, cheering for them in their game of life. I see the beautiful world you create for them.

I notice you comfort them, giving them a band-aid and extra hug that makes all the difference. I notice the way you look at them, the way you hold their hand. I notice you watch them when they don't even know to make sure they are safe. I watch you love your children. The purest form of love:  Unconditional love.

I notice you tuck them into bed, I know you cover them in your love.  I know there are times when you just want them to go to bed but I know the stress of the day you have pushed away coming back into your mind.  I admire your patience. I know when you hug and kiss them goodnight again for the tenth time that this moment is the best part of your day.

I want to tell you that you are enough. You are an amazing mother. You are teaching them. Like you learned, they too learn and shape their lives from you. I want to honor you. I want you to know that even though we often pretend, none of us are perfect. 

I smile at you because we are the same. We are mothers, doing the best that we can.  It is not a contest, it is a sisterhood. I want you to know that I notice you being the best you can be.  I admire you and I celebrate you.

You are a beautiful mother.  Each and every one of you.

I have so many wonderful role models to watch, learn and follow. And to this I am thankful.

Happy Mother's Day to mothers everywhere!


We had a great day. The weather was beautiful and the kids were in the pool multiple times. John is in China (again). I like to give him a hard time about being gone two years in-a-row on Mother's Day. Hard to believe last year, he left on Mother's day to drive here--to start working at Wal-Mart. I was in Cleveland trying to sell the house and finish out the school year. Last night, I had the kids help me to get some cute pictures before church. Jack was all about snapping pictures and the girls each wanted a turn, too. I had some fun making some collages of the pictures and had a hard time narrowing down the ones I liked the best (Read: multiple collages below). My kiddos take some nice pictures! In all seriousness though, I feel like the luckiest mama these kiddos call me mama.

 Each of the girls had to take turns taking our picture

 

 

Jack took these pictures

 

Here are the rest of the collages

 

And here I am kicking my feet up relaxing while the kids swam. What a fine way to spend the day!