The Sweetness of Motherhood
"The most precious jewels you'll ever have around your neck are the arms of your children." ~Unknown
Oh to be a mother! There is no way to define the true meaning of what being a mother is. I found my true purpose in life when I became a mother. I heard someone once say that being a mother is like having your heart run around on the outside of your body. And so it is...
The other day I received a tiny gift. It was a single yellow flower, a dandelion. I know most people hate dandelions in their yard, but yellow is my favorite color and I have received handfuls and handfuls of these little gifts from my children that I have grown to love them. Every single one they pick, they think of me. It makes my heart so full. The one I received the other day wasn't from one of my little ones, but from my six-foot tall teenage son, and it was his birthday. He picked it and brought it to me.
As I stared at this yellow flower in the tiny glass on my kitchen counter, it made me think of the sweetness of motherhood. How many moments just like this that I have been blessed to experience as a mother.
So I thought I'd make a list of some of the things I am grateful for as a mother. No list can possibly contain what a joy it is to love and be loved by a child. Not even the six-foot tall ones that have outgrown their mothers.
1. Hugs around the knees.
2. Hearing that I'm the bestest Mommy in the whole world, especially when I don't feel like it!
3. Late night heart to heart talks with my teenagers.
4. The most enthusiastic and whole-hearted hugs and greetings from my children even when we've only been apart a short while.
5. Car rides singing at the top of our lungs.
6. Morning snuggles in bed with little ones whose eyes are barely open and whose cheeks are all rosy.
7. The sound of my children's laughter.
8. The logic of a three-year old.
9. Tiny fingers wrapped around mine and bigger ones who are still willing to hold Mama's hand.
10. The smell of my child's hair.
11. The way the house comes alive when they enter it.
12. A million and one pieces of paper that they colored just for me.
13. Hearing my child's heart and watching them understand deep truths.
14. Watching them overcome fear.
15. Seeing them stick it out, even when it hurts.
16. The way the little brother thinks the big brother is a hero.
17. Watching a big sister paint a little sister's fingernails.
18. Going on adventures together.
19. How the little ones mispronounce words and make them a 100 times cuter. Like flingo for flamingo and resternaut for restaurant.
20. Having my child praise God for rainbows.
21. Listening to my child's imagination.
22. Having my little one pull my face to theirs and rubbing our noses together.
23. Hearing them tell me that if I need anything to come find them.
24. That I survived teaching them to drive.
25. How they make up their own words for things, like smacker-whacker for flyswatter.
26. When they come home, they come find me first to tell me all about what's happening in their life.
27. To have my son thank me for all I do and all I've done for him since he was born.
28. Watching my child sleep.
29. Brushing that one curl off her forehead.
30. Being so thankful for the people they've grown into, but wishing so badly that I could have their little versions back again (at least for a little while).
Well here's my list. There are so many more things I could add! I know I've missed so much! What would you add to this list? I'd love to hear it!
