Mother's Day

Tomorrow is Mother's Day, and I will be celebrating this time with my own mom, my beautiful daughter and my wonderful husband. Becoming a mother seemed so impossible to me until God blessed us with our daughter a little over seven years ago, and for all of those years, motherhood has been the most wonderful experience for me. I have enjoyed seeing Julia grow from a small infant to a very smart, confident little girl who marches to the beat of her own drum. I have become infinitely aware of the strong bond between a mother and a child, and I have a love for my daughter that grows daily by leaps and bounds.

On Friday, I went to Julia's elementary school for "Muffins with Mommy," which is a Mother's Day celebration where the kids serve their moms muffins and present them with handmade items as gifts for Mother's Day. Julia gave me some beautiful purple petunias that were planted in a small pot, which she had decorated with sweet messages for me. She and her class also sang three songs for the audience of mothers which spoke of how much they loved the treats that their mommies made and the many kisses that their mommies gave. I was proud of Julia for singing out loud and smiling through the whole performance. She is definitely not a wallflower!

At the end of the celebration, Julia's teacher read to us a book that I wish now that I could remember the title. The book was about how time moves so quickly for parents as their children grow, and each day seems to be filled with "lasts"...the last time you change her diaper, the last time you give her a bottle, the last time you are able to pick her up and hold her, the last time she will sat in your lap, or the last time you walked her to class at school. I have already seen several lasts with my little girl. Those moments are beautiful and bitter sweet. They are gone before you even realize that they have left because you have been so into the business of living from day to day. But, I cherish every single last with my daughter, and I look forward to what the next day brings. I only wish that my son were here this Mother's Day so that we could begin the same journey.

As much as I will enjoy being with my family on this holiday, I cannot help but think about my little boy who will be missing from this celebration. Somehow, Mother's Day does not feel exactly the same knowing that my little one is so far away from me. However, with each ticking of the clock and each calendar day that passes, we are brought that much closer to the time we will be together. Your daddy and I think and talk of you often my little one. We can't wait to meet you!

Happy Mother's Day to everyone!