I remember the moment they handed me my (now oldest) son right after he was born, I laid him on my chest, so he could hear the familiarity of my heartbeat. I stared into his eyes and ran my fingers along his head over and over again. It’s like I could almost feel my heart grow to accommodate this new love that flooded into it. I looked at this innocent little life and wanted to give it everything I never had and protect it from everything that ever hurt me. I based this array of emotion and thought on my life experiences not knowing the unique journey that lay ahead of him, one with it’s own unique challenges that would never quite meet mine. It’s funny how we do that, try to protect others from what has hurt us. It’s not always easy to see in the moment, a little easier to see in retrospect.
No one told me being a Mother would be so intense from the delivery to the recovery not to mention sleepless nights, nursing, and hormones. I’d do it again and again without regret when I look into the faces of my four little men. Each one of them is so different in there expression of us as parents and in their innate expression of their God given personalities. I revel daily in some new facet about them. They keep me on my toes, they test my character, they sharpen my intellect, they broaden my scope of emotions … they’ve made me better.
There have been good days when they get what I’ve taught them and actually obey and then there are the days when I want to turn the light out in my closet and hide. There are victories and disappointments. There is sadness (like when your holding a young one with a fever) and there is joy (when you surprisingly are so excited to see a five year old graduate kindergarten). There are tears and there is dancing. There is learning to be “big” while teaching them to enjoy being small. There are capturing moments and fleeting moments … each one a gift.
It’s hard to summarize the emotions and life lessons of being a Mother into the confines of words and especially for me there’s just not enough of them. My heart is full this year of gratefulness for this moment. I love my memories of yesterday and I’m not going to rush tomorrow. I want to live with my children knowing my “I love you” is for today and there will be a fresh one for tomorrow. I want to stop protecting them from my fears brought on by my past. I want to free them to their own journey not being held back by mine … all with the Holy Spirit’s help of course. I’m sure they will experience hurt feelings and pain. I’m so honored to have the opportunity to hold them when they fall with a big fat Mama hug and probably some tears in my eyes. Because well that’s just life … it’s not without it’s scrapes.
It’s not until you become a Mom you fully appreciate your own Mom … so here’s a little something for mine:
For My Mom on Mother’s Day
Thank you for rocking me to sleep when I had earaches
Thank you for kissing boo-boos
Thank you for every Princess Cake
Thank you for every packed lunch
Thank you for every school project you HAD to do!
Thank you for my first pair of Guess jeans I had to have.
Thank you for summer camp
Thank you for believing in me when I was scared
Thank you for every trip to Disneyland
Thank you for coming to all my plays
Thank you for never giving up
Thank you for your prayers and tears when you thought you lost me
Thank you for searching for me
Thank you for finding me
Thank you for tough love
Thank you for believing the best
Thank you for never giving up
Thank you for being at my wedding
Thank you for being there when I had babies
Thank you for every call you’ve taken when I’m crying because my babies are sick
Thank you for being the best Grandma EVER!
Thank you for your LOVE … your unconditional LOVE!
With Great Love and a Happy Mother’s Day to ALL!!!
~Ris
You have such a sweet and tender heart…so full of what every Mom should have. This was a blessing to read as I crawled into my bed to go to sleep, knowing that I'll be waking up to my Mother's Day in a few hours. I certainly hope your own Mom gets to read this!
Happy Day to Celebrate You as the Best Mom Ever! (Isn't that what your little men would call you?)
this is precious and so right on! i told my mom after i had ella that i finally got a glimpse of how much she loved me and just how much motherhood meant sacrifice, unconditional love, joy, tears, etc. way to put it into words!
Beautifully expressed the true sentiments of this mommy's heart! Just when I think my heart is going to explode from all the love I have for my children and I couldn't possibly love them any more . . . just as you said . . . I think it grows a little bit more to accommodate it all! Loved it and love you!
This was wonderful….Thank you so much for sharing. Your list of “thank you’s” to your mom was great….
so good…I am wiping away tears as I type
I am so touched by "Mother's Day Poem," that I am left speechless and I can't stop my tears from flowing down my cheeks. You've grown into a "Mother" that every Mom hopes their daughter will become! The journey was rocky at times but with God loving grace and mercy we both made it through the tough times. It was not always easy being both Mom and Dad, sole bread winner as a single parent and having to work more than full time and going to the University when you were so small. Later, I know that having to deal with a merged family was not easy for you. Thank you for choosing to see the positive and choosing to see the light. You've given me the best gift today, my "Mother's Day Poem" with expressed words of thankfulness and I admire the devoted love you give your four little men, my grandsons! Feliz Dia de las Madres! I Love You! Love Mom
Loved this blog Marissa…such a blessing to read!
My friend … what a lovely gift for communicating eloquently you have! This is beautiful and it brought tears to my eyes. You are a truly beautiful mama!! Happy Mother's Day to you dear lady. I hope that you are feeling incredibly loved, appreciated & extra special xoxo
awe…being a mom rocks and especially when you write about it:) Happy Mother's Day friend!!
Precious, precious, precious!!! Loved it and love u!!!!
So beautiful, but it was your Mom's comment that choked me up.;)
love you
Yes Babs … you got it! Best Mom EVER … especially when cake is involved!
Your words bless me Mama! I love you! Happy Mother's day!
So beautiful as usual. This has been the most emotional mother's day I've experienced thus far…. gosh, I wonder if I'm prego???? That's scary. Seriously though, thanks for sharing with me! Love you and you are a beautiful mother.
Yes, I echo Rebecca's comment–loved the blog, definitely. But it was your Mom's comment that got me. You "rose up and blessed her" (Proverbs?), and that is the best Mother's Day gift of all! Love the style of this piece.
So beautiful as usual. This has been the most emotional mother’s day I’ve experienced thus far…. gosh, I wonder if I’m prego???? That’s scary. Seriously though, thanks for sharing with me! Love you and you are a beautiful mother.
My dear Marissa… I am reading your blog first the time and Wow! I love it.. every page touched my heart and I have to admit, your poem made me cry too.. Keep up the great work. I will be following you. Luv u:)
So beautiful as usual. This has been the most emotional mother's day I've experienced thus far…. gosh, I wonder if I'm prego???? That's scary. Seriously though, thanks for sharing with me! Love you and you are a beautiful mother.