Being a mom is hard work. Being a good mom is really hard work. Being you, must be flat out exhausting. I am blessed to be your daughter and have spent my entire life watching you and learning from you. Here are some of the things you have taught me about the role of a mom.......
A mother's job description is not only endless, but constantly expanding. She is a chauffeur, a chef, a personal shopper, a nurse, a tutor, a maid, a comedian, and a counselor. She is on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is no insurance plan and there are no paid holidays. Not only are there no annual reviews to recognize the work that has been accomplished, a mother knows that at least half the work that she puts in never gets recognized at all. She never clocks out and she never takes her mind of her job. She lives and breathes her job, because her job........ is her heart. Despite the hard days, and despite frazzled hair and brinks of mental breakdowns, her job brings her more joy and fulfillment than any million-dollar paycheck ever could. She holds this title with honor and is fully aware of the great responsibility that comes with it.
Having the energy needed to fill this role takes a Red Bull and a prayer chain in and of itself, but when you're a mom to a "curious" kid like me.............well, it takes more than an energy drink to push through the hard days. When I was little, you had to deal with a young daughter who not only lied to you about drawing on the China, but also blamed her sister for it. You had to face each shopping trip to the mall knowing that the same daughter would sit down in the floor upon entrance and take off her shoes, right before she hid in the clothing racks. A few birthdays later, you accepted the fact that your long days were not over. It may have been when you had to explain to that family at the beach that we did not actually live on a farm, and I did not actually milk cows every morning before school, despite what I told them with much detail. Or, I suppose it could have been all those days when you looked under my bed to discover my secret to cleaning my room so fast. As I grew older and the challenges changed colors, you rose to the challenge. Through bad attitudes and bad boyfriends, you not only kept up.............you never clocked out.
Mom, I want you to know that I get it now. Being a mother myself has opened my eyes to so many things............how hard you worked, how much you sacrificed, and how much you love us. As I now fill this role for my family, I just pray that I can triumph in the ever expanding boundaries of its description with the same flying colors. As I'm driving my girls to gymnastics, I think of all the times you shuttled me to every activity with your clothes somehow ironed and your make-up on. As I am shopping online for new clothes for my daughters, I think about all those times you drove me from store to store, all afternoon, to help me find that perfect dress. And by the grace of God, you somehow put up with me having the nerve to complain about being tired. As I am packing up our family to go out of town, I think about how hard you worked to prepare and pack everything we needed for all those week-long beach trips. When I clean the house to prepare for guests, I think about how much you did to prepare our home for holiday gatherings, while I just complained about being hungry. Mom, I want you to know...........I get it now.
I know there are so many things you did while we were growing up that we did not notice...............I want you to know that I notice now. I now realize there are so many things you did for us that we never thanked you for............I want to say, "thank-you". We were blessed to have a mother that always took the time to show us love through endless hugs and couch-time cuddles. You were always there. You never missed a school play or band concert, and you were my biggest cheerleader at every football game. As an adult, I am blessed to have a mother who has never stopped showing her love for me. You listen to me, you encourage me, and you are always there for me. Mom, thank you for the sacrifices you made for us and for placing our well-being before your own. We are so abundantly blessed. Thank you for not only being one of the first people I call with good news, but for also being excited with me. Your support and enthusiasm in my successes have given me confidence, and your counsel and comfort in my failures have encouraged me to grow. It is my hope and my prayer that when my daughters grow up, the thought of me will bring a smile to their face. Because Mom, I want you to know, when I think of you............I smile.
I love you so much. Happy Mother's Day.
Love,
Heather
No comments:
Post a Comment