Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Today, I rejoice with a mom who never thought she would be a parent. Having a number of miscarriages and feeling the weight of pain at bad report after another, this special mom delivered a precious baby boy at the end of April.

Where this mom is on cloud nine and I do rejoice with her, another mom is healing from the loss of her teenage son to cancer one year ago. The pain is still there as she awakes and realizes that he is not here.

As I rejoice with one and weep with another, this day is full of emotion. I get overwhelmed with the love of my children, and how they love to give.

I don’t know what the future holds, but I choose to love the blessings before me. My blessings include three not-so-little ones:

Mr. 8 – Getting taller, more responsible, and sensitive to the needs of others

Miss 6 – Creating unique projects, singing in her own world, and gaining confidence in new situations

Miss 4 – Infectious giggles, telling never-ending stories, and always ready to play a game or put together a puzzle

In using time wisely, embrace the ones before you. I am all too quickly reminded by the pictures on our walls that my children are growing up. Time cannot be banked, repeated, or halted. We have today.

Whether you are rejoicing in your children, hurting to hold one in your arms again, or hoping for a good report, Mother’s Day is a tender day. Thank you for your care for children: sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Today is a bit of mixed of emotions. Having struggled through the pain of infertility and waiting almost 7 years after marriage for our son to rest in my arms, I understand the heartbreak that some ladies feel on Mother’s Day.

For those who have not been blessed with a husband or baby, the pain hurts and hurts deeply.

Having endured the pain, I have reached the other side to experience the joy of holding my precious children shortly after birth.

I understand the busyness of nursing, pumping, changing diapers, snagging a quick nap, repeating instructions, sacrificing things I want to do to help my child, potty training, cleaning, laundry, picking up the toys I just put away, and the million other tasks that come with mothering.

In the midst of the everyday are the precious moments of the spontaneous hugs, bursts of laughter, and games of hide-and-seek.

Surrounded by boo-boos to kiss, bedtime stories, and snuggles during illness, mothers are constant. We are not perfect and rarely accomplish all our tasks, but we embrace the moments of today.

As I cried through much of our pastor’s sermon today focused on Hannah’s motherhood journey, I was so encouraged by the thought that moms matter. We fight for our kids, we pray for them, we care for them, and we worship with them.

Though I felt pain before I had children wanting the void filled, I still experience pain after having them. Now, I struggle in protecting them and caring for them.

As moms, we have a big responsibility in rearing the next generation. We take on the responsibility without regret. Press on, dear mom, your efforts are not in vain.

As the struggles and pain come, remember that God is in control, and all the cleaning, feeding, and nurturing matters. They matter because moms matter.

Happy Mother’s Day!