I had the opportunity to throw a baby shower for my sister, COVID-19 style, with a drive by baby shower the day before Mother’s Day. Until now, she has been the mother of three boys. Now she is branching out and currently pregnant with a baby girl! It was amazing to see all the people willing to make the drive out to support my sister, knowing they would only have a few minutes to talk with her as they drove by.
Having this baby shower right before Mother’s Day seemed fitting. What better way to celebrate motherhood than by recognizing where motherhood starts, bringing a perfect little baby into this world. Or perhaps I should say by welcoming a child into our hearts, because there are so many mothers out their that have rightfully earned the title without formally giving birth to a child!
Motherhood is often celebrated with baby showers. We gather together, honoring the mom with gifts and words of encouragement. Soon after the child enters our lives, however, all the glamour fades away. We are left with our precious little one and all the responsibility that comes with it.
As mother’s it is our responsibility to keep this child alive! Some of us are lucky with family and friends who offer plenty of advice and help. Others feel completely alone. Either way, in the end, motherhood is something we just have to figure out on our own.
Being a mom at times is purely a guessing game, finding out what does and doesn’t work. From the time they step into our lives, to the time they walk out the door into adulthood, we pray unceasingly on their behalf. These little beings permanently imprint on our hearts.
Womanhood is amazing and being able to experience creation in its fullest is beyond description. Nothing can compare to a mother’s love.
The imperfections of motherhood
There are many beautiful ways in which to describe motherhood. In an attempt to be real, I want to also describe it as draining! Motherhood is exhausting and purely selfless. See Parenting at Our Wits’ End, where I talk about this in more detail.
“Motherhood is a choice you make everyday, to put someone else’s happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you’re not sure what the right thing is…and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.”
Donna Ball, At Home on Ladybug Farm
How many times have we all wondered if we are doing the right thing as a mom? Are we completely messing our kids up by not doing it correctly? We are often way too hard on ourselves, and in reality there is no correct way to be a mom. Sure, there are some terrible mom’s out there, but the fact that you are reading this tells me you are trying. This puts you leaps and bounds ahead of any “bad” mom.
We can never expect to be perfect when we are participating in the biggest act of service one can experience in this life.
Motherhood is messy!
It is cleaning up barf out of hair and linens at 2am.
It is scrubbing urine and poop out of carpet.
It is scrubbing permanent markers off of walls.
It is cleaning up an entire box of crushed cheerios off the kitchen floor.
It is wiping down sticky faces and bodies after ice cream on a hot summer day.
It is cleaning up broken glass after an ill attempted “I can do it myself” moment of independence.
It is snuggling a fevering child in the middle of the night.
It is cleaning skinned knees and kissing countless owies.
It is wiping away millions of tears.
It is angry teens yelling how much they hate you.
It is sporting events, dance recitals, and endless early morning practices.
It is baring burdens of their needs and desires above your own.
It is enduring rolled eyes and smart aleck comments.
It is countless moments of second guessing your decisions and praying you are doing a good job.
It is discussion after discussion and trying to act when the perfect teaching moment arises.
It is hug after hug, story after story, and lullaby after lullaby.
And it is completely worth it!
The precious pitter patter of feet on the tile mid day as they find their way back to our arms, kiss us on the cheek with a giggle, and whisper “I love you!” somehow makes all those messy moments worthwhile. Moments like these, and many more like it, remind us we are doing something right! We are their person, whether they realize it or not.
There are days I feel like I am living the movie “Ground Hog Day”. Kids do well with routine right? So around and around we go. It is easy to lose track of our long term perspective when we are circling about in these routines. Remember that this time with our children is indeed, temporary. It may be a bit cliche to say that they grow up too fast… but unfortunately, it is true. There is a reason people say this!
Enjoy this time. Soak up those sticky fingers and laughing teenagers.
Thank you to all mothers
I just want to say thank you for the endless hours you put in for your family. There is no time clock in which mothers check in and out for their daily duties. You are making a difference in the lives of your children. Never forget that you are needed, that you are loved. Your work is noble!
You may not hear it enough from your children, so thank you. Thank you for imprinting on their hearts with the love and devotion only a mother figure can bestow.
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