A day for moms

I am all for celebrating people, especially if it includes chocolate and that "people" happens to be me. My family has made me feel very loved with their homemade cards and sweet comments...and all that blissful chocolate. Mothers Day is a day to celebrate and honor moms everywhere. It is a reminder to show our appreciation for those we treasure in our lives. It's a day on our calendar that nudges us to wrap our arms around those people whom we need not take for granted. They are the people who are the reason we are who we are. The ones who, without them, our lives would not even be possible...moms. We love our kids when they're happy or sad, kind or ugly, obedient or defiant, cooperative picture takers or Grumpy McGrumperstons. We just love. That's what we do.

Having your child placed in your arms for the first time is the only thing that can truly make you appreciate your parents. Only when you've experienced it can you comprehend the sacrifice and the love between a mother and her child. There are no words to express that bond. There is no way to prepare you for it. You just have to live it, and once you do you understand things you didn't when you were growing up.

For example, I realize now that being a perfect mom is impossible. There are always areas where improvement is needed, but a mother wants what is best for their children, and they do the best they possibly can to provide that. Becoming a mom doesn't mean that you have it all together and you're ready to raise a child. Sometimes moms grow up with their kids. The same thing goes for marriage. I was 20 when I married, and 23 when I became a mom. Sometimes I wonder what kind of a wife and mother I would be if I had not made the leap so young. I thought I was grown up then, but now I know that I wasn't.

Don't misunderstand what I'm trying to say, I wouldn't trade anything for the journey now, but it was a bumpy road to travel as we grew together. Such is life though. That's the beauty of our experience on this planet. I feel like I am a better wife and a better mom than I was a year ago, and I hope to be even better than I am now by this time next year. I have made many mistakes and will make many more, no doubt. My hope and prayer is that my children will see past my shortcomings and see my heart. Because my heart is for them 100% just like I know my parent's hearts were and will always be for me. 

My mom always tells me that she wishes she would have spent more time with me and my brother when we were little. I can't imagine any mom feeling any different. Ten years used to seem like a long time to me. 33 used to be old. Now I see how quickly time passes and how moments slip through our fingers. That's why I'd like to take the time today to honor and thank my mom for being the best mom she can be because she is the best mom for me. I love you, mama! Thank you for your love for me.