Such is the Joy of Motherhood.

Well, friends.  I hope you had as lovely a Mother’s Day weekend as I did.  Whether you celebrated with your mom, gave thanks for being a mom, grieved the loss of a mom, were hoping to be a mom, or simply spent time thinking about the mom-like women in your life, I hope your day was full of warm, fond thoughts and surrounded by the people who mean the most to you.  I know mine was.

We went to early church, like always.  I love how my church celebrates Mother’s Day.  It is a day that celebrates women in general, and it is lovely.  About a month before Mother’s Day, they have photographers all over the church campus.  They are at church services, Sunday School, Bible studies, and any kind of event the church is having, and they take pictures of mothers and women.  Then, when you get to church on Mother’s Day, they have strung ribbon all down the hallways and in the courtyard in our church and attached all those pictures to them.  So, you spend the morning with a cup of coffee, walking through the church grounds, looking at pictures of mothers and women from our congregation.  It is really beautiful, and makes you so thankful to be part of that community and surrounded by those women.

After church, we met Sarah and her family up at our favorite breakfast place for brunch.  It was Sarah’s first Mother’s Day, and I was so glad we were able to spend it together.  We’ve been best friends since we were in 6th grade.  I think we’ve shared just about every major milestone in our lives together, and this one was by far one of my favorites.

After lunch, we headed home and in about 3.6 seconds, we were all in our bathing suits and out in the pool. This was our first weekend in the pool this year, and it was wonderful! I absolutely love summer, and being in the pool every day is one of the best parts.

That afternoon, we all took a big, long nap, and when we woke up the whole family came grocery shopping with me. Chris reasoned that if I had to do household stuff on Mother’s Day, then they would all do it with me. Normally, I would rather get a good swift kick in the shin before we all went together, but somehow Mother’s Day made it better…

I’m thankful this Mother’s Day that I get to be Michael and Gracie’s momma. I’m thankful for the sweet husband who made me their momma. I’m thankful for my own mother who taught me how to be a momma. I’m thankful for all those women in my life who have taught, shaped, and molded me as any momma would.

Motherhood is a funny business, and the more experience I have with it, the more convinced I am that motherhood is not just about our children. It is about living a life for someone else. Motherhood is about being willing, even when we don’t feel we are able. It is about serving, even when we don’t know quite how to serve.  It is about saying yes when everyone else avoids the question.  It is about stepping up to the plate, and swinging the bat.  It is about showing up.  Motherhood is about healing wounds with love, feeding bellies with food, and filling hearts with kindness.  It is caring without reason, cause, justification, or reward.

No, motherhood isn’t all about our children. It is something that is inside of us that calls us to live a life we do not deserve; a life we are not worthy to live.

Such is the joy of motherhood.

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 

Joshua 24:15