Ahh….the joys of motherhood! Well…not always joy, but for the most part- yeah- JOY!!! I have been reminiscing childbirth lately…not because of Mother’s Day but just, well, I don’t know. The day that my first was born at a whopping 10 lbs. 1 oz…. unbelievable….she is now a doctor btw! Then came the second- boy was I ever praying that statistics were wrong and this child would not weigh more than the first! Hallelujah he weighed in at 8 lbs. 12 oz. WHEW! As for this one–he grew up to be a minister….so I have two wonderful children – both are healers….one is for the body and one is for the soul…pretty good, I’d say.
I often wonder though, did I do enough as a mother. They are both grown and married, but what do they remember? I remember when they were my entire existence. The times that nothing else mattered but to sit down with them and color, watch a favorite t.v. show, play in the mickey mouse tent, read a favorite book for the 100th time. Sometimes I have to get the photo album out and then the memories really flood in. I wish I could say that I was a perfect mother,…..”I WAS a ….” nope, can’t say it! I wish I could go back and change some things but that is not to be; I try not to live with regrets. I just wonder….did I say “I love you” enough or did I listen and make them feel as important as they really are? What would I change if it were possible to do that? OH…Why must we be young and stupid before we are old and wise? Why can’t wisdom come earlier? The wisdom that I finally possess or at least consider my own, knows so much more than then. My life is more stable….I am not trying to figure out who I am or where I’m going .
My ‘mothering’ days have changed quite a bit since that special day that we met each other for the first time. My sleepless nights are now from menopause and not a crying baby….I prefer the crying baby! I always want to be here for my children. When they need me and when they don’t or think that they don’t. Truth is – we always need our moms- just in different ways. And another truth- Moms always need their kids…. Not sure what that special bond is that God placed between a mother and child is, but I do know that it is powerful.
My two children have brought me many gifts over the years, to which most of them I have kept and cherished. Their most precious gifts were – a daughter in law and a son in law….they are perfect, beautiful gifts. I cherish them for many reasons…one for the fact they were given to me BY my children, a representation of the most important decision that they alone had to make..
Life has been wonderful and I am very blessed. If I took my last breath tomorrow, I would still be a blessed woman. God has been good to me and I thank Him for the opportunity to raise two special, wonderful, perfect gifts that He entrusted to me years ago. I hope I make Him just a little proud. Mothering is the hardest thing I have ever encountered, but it has been the greatest in rewards.