Mom

Mom. It was her first name. And as a kid I thought I knew what it meant. She was the one who fixed dinner and did laundry. She was the one who's permission I sought for outings and slumber parties. She was the one I informed when I had a class field trip and the one I called when I had forgotten something I needed for school.

Then I got a little older. And she became the one who gave me sound advice, whether I thought I needed it or not. She was my shopping partner for homecomings and proms, altering dresses to fit school guidelines just so I could have the exact ones I wanted. She was my personal cheerleader and life coach. She pointed me in all the right directions and trusted me enough to follow the right paths.

And then I got married and moved away. I know it crushed her as we drove away in the U-Haul. But since the day I'd been born she had been making me the most beautiful pair of wings and I couldn't help but show them off and soar. But once I was gone, she was my reason for coming back every now and then. She was my model for a Godly wife. She was 1200 miles away and yet the closest she'd ever been.

And then I became a mom. And that's when I began to learn what it really meant. Being a mom is like being a stagehand for an elaborate play. No one really sees or understands what they do, unless they are one themselves. The sleepless nights, the redundant feedings, the diapers changed, the personal time forsaken, the endless cleaning, the tears shed, the love given. As I raise my own girls, I have begun to see my relationship with her, how it must have been from her perspective. I have never appreciated her more, but as my kids grow, I'm sure that will too. Not only do I now see behind the scenes of all the things she has done for me, but she is my support as I learn to do them for my children. She is my "anything and everything kid-related" hotline.

But my favorite thing is that she is my friend. I talk to her like I talk to my close girlfriends. I tell her the same things and sometimes even more. We're connected at the heart. And to me, that's an even stronger connection than being attached by an umbilical cord.


Mom, thank you for everything. I wish I could wrap my arms around you today, but since I can't, I hope this blog at least hugs your heart. I love you! Happy Mother's Day!