To be a Mother

I was reflecting today on what it truly means to be a mother.....

To conceive life from a love shared by two individuals.

To grow a fetus.

To labor with

and give birth to a baby

To nourish and nurture a child.

To encourage, guide, and mentor to a person.

To love unconditionally and endlessly

There are times during just about everyday when I take for granted or am even annoyed by the role I play as a mother. I have been trying harder to cherish every precious moment, with a son who is almost four I realize how fleeting this time really is. I have been making a mental note of the things that I never want to forget. Times when the world just stands still, when all that matters is the fact that I am a mother. These moments sometimes come in the strangest form, like holding Aralyn over the potty making silly faces and silly noises. Sitting next to her bed waiting for her sleepy eyes to completely close, this is my favorite, she looks so peaceful and so angelic. I hold her hand, sometimes stroke her sweet face, while she gazes around the room slowly drifting off to sleep. It is so quiet in this moment, and everything in the house is still, I watch her eyes slowly open and close, her little tiny hands grasping together, her pink toes poking out from under the covers, her perfect rosy lips taking in every breath, the little curls in her hair, her little pug nose, those long dark lashes going up and down. It is a priceless moment, and one I am so glad to experience every single night. Every morning I awake to Isaac sleepily walking into the room, "Good Morning Momma, I awake, there's Aralyn!". I get the sweetest kiss and hug and then he curls up in the bed and the three of us watch cartoons (while I try to fall back asleep). Aralyn most often is up before Isaac and calls out for her brother, "Isaac! Isaac!" she knocks on my door and ask me "out? Isaac? out?" but then settles for "nilk" instead. I keep her close in arms and drift in and out of sleep while she strokes and kisses my face.

I could go on, but the bed is calling my name. I have had such a wonderful mothers day today. This whole weekend has been a celebration of birth and of mothers. I feel truly blessed right now in my life. To be a mother is the greatest accomplishment in my life, it is the thing I have worked hardest for and get the highest pay from. Isaac told me the other day I was his "bestest hero", you cannot ask for a better reward. I love my children and my husband for giving me such a precious gift and allowing me the opportunity to share every single moment with them.