Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!  I have been thinking for weeks about today and what I wanted to share on this very special day.  I wanted it to be more than a "shout out" to how great my mom is, how amazing my sisters are and how strong my mom friends are (they are all of those things and much more!).  I wanted to share more than a "kuddos" to every mom out there.  So with intention, I stayed off social media.

Mother's Day is a special day indeed for me and you can read back from 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012 to get more of the story and my insightful Mother's Day moments (they are all really great). This day, is not just about the fact that I am a mom to a truly amazing and inspiring little boy but that my story of motherhood begins with the blessing of adoption.

Every year, I spend time the weeks up to Mother's Day thinking about how important Espen's birth mom is.  And this year, like the last 7, I am humbled by her.  I admire her strength and I am blessed beyond my every dream by this little boy.

I am also humbled by all the women who make brave, courageous, thoughtful and strong decisions every day to be moms, to act like moms, to love children without question and to do it every day ~ even when the struggles are hard and very real!  There is not a parenting manual.  No guidebook to how to "mommy". There are no right and wrong ways.  There is just EVERYDAY.

You see, being a mom has absolutely nothing to do with being pregnant, giving birth or breastfeeding.  None of those things make me mom.  And really none of them are what is really important on the road to being a mom.  What makes me a mom is the fact that I am willing to give this child my love 100% of the time.  That I take on the difficult tasks of teaching him right and wrong.  That I advocate, preach and teach.  Being a mom means I decide to take less so he can have more.  It means I better myself so I can make him better. It means I act the way I want him to learn.  That I show love so he knows love.  It means I am healthy so I can walk (or run) by his side when he needs me.  It means I am playmate, tickle monster and wrestler.  It also means I fix cuts and scraps and wipe away tears.  It means I look at bugs with the same passion I admire Picasso.  It means I listen to random facts about random things because they are important to a little boy and as the little boy gets bigger, so does his interest and I encourage and inspire him to be interested.  It means I clean dirty socks and grass stains.  Being a mom means I am always on call and on task.  Even with the chaos of life, I know what is going on when and I make sure we all get there with clean under clothes and all the supplies we need.

I am blessed to have had an amazing adoption story to start me on the way of motherhood.  This little boy and his birth mom fill my life more than I can ever express.  I surround myself with women who are amazing and work on the task of motherhood each day.  I am fortunate to call so many strong, courageous women friends.  These women face difficult choices, hilarious situations and amazing moments with grace and bravery.  They power through even the most challenging moments and smile through the tears because they are determined to raise their children to the best of their ability.  These women know that today some one said GOOD JOB, you are amazing... but that the work just keeps going.  At the end of their day, they are hugged and kissed and little voices say "goodnight mom, I love you"... and they know they are doing it right.  (And they put in another load of laundry!).

Happy Mother's Day.... to my mom who loved me even when I was challenging, to Espen's amazing birth mom and to all my mom family & friends who are doing the hard work of raising kids!!  You are truly inspiring and enrich my life in many ways.