~Mother's Day Reflections~

"The loveliest materpiece of the heart of God is the love of a Mother.

-St. Therese of Lisieux"

Mother's Day always causes me to take some time to reflect over the many wonderful memories I've made with my children over the years...

I've been a mother now for almost 13 years (14 if you count in utero!) 

When I reflect back to how I used to parent my first child, compared to how I find parenting now, I realize how much my perceptions have changed.

I remember how overwhelmed ~and in awe~ I was after I first gave birth. I spent the first 24 hours staring at my first born; couldn't sleep a wink. How could I now be responsible for this tiny little, fragile looking person? Would I be able to be a good Mother to him? 

The next one came...

And another.

And another.

And now we are expecting our fifth little bundle of joy!!!

Parenting a group of children is much different than how I found parenting only one oh so many years ago!

I recall how I used to find just taking care of my firstborn as a very tedious and difficult task. 

The sleepless nights. The wailing continuous cries. The spit-ups on the new outfits. The messy diapers.

And yet, when my next son came it seemed to get a bit easier. "I've been here, done this before."

Although having two rambunctious little boys around wasn't always easy, they did seem to enjoy entertaining one another :)

At that time I was a single mom (you can read more about that journey in previous blogs) so part of the challenge was simply the burden of parenting two boys alone.

Later, after marriage, when I gave birth to my first daughter, I was sooo thankful for our first girl! Finally, a little lady in our home to parent. It had been such a long-awaited desire of my heart :)

Lastly, when our lil JJ arrived on the scene, I can say I wasn't nearly as intimidated as I had been with the previous three. A fourth was just 'one more' in the mix to enjoy, love and join in with our fun-lovin' crew!

Why do I share this?

Well, I am thinking of all the new moms out there who may be feeling simply overwhelmed with this new 'call' on their lives...

I am thinking of all the single mothers out there who may be feeling overwhelmed, and alone...

I am thinking of the seasoned mom who is expecting another little one...with maybe a few already running around by her feet!

It's not always easy to be a mother. And certainly there will be difficult seasons for every one of us.

However, there is NOTHING so rewarding as knowing that we are investing in the next generation. We are literally 'making our mark' on the world around us!

I want to remind every mother out there, no matter what season of life you may be in, that you are NOT insignificant. You are more important than you realize :)

"The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms." - Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894)"