Motherhood

The state of being fully invested in the proper functioning, survival, and happiness of the offspring until your dying breath and most probably beyond...

Blissfully rare sighting of serene brotherly interaction

It's the week after the once a year global acknowledgment of Mothers on a Sunday in May, and as usual, I'm feeling the whirlwind paradox of emotions that come with being the celebrated MOM...heart palpitating overwhelm from the colossal weight of this human rearing responsibility parallels the effortless, light, unfaltering, automatic love for these perfectly imperfect offspring...

Ain't no hood like MotherHood - Unknown

I've made it through the baby/toddler years of zombie-like survival ~ endlessly long days filled with exhaustion induced mommy brain, poopy diapers, and drool soaked onesies, mixed in with sprinkles of bright light when you are treated to the most adorable, heart-melting smiles, baby talk sounds, soft cuddles, and sticky wet kisses. The excitement of seeing them eat their first solids, take their first steps, and say their first words seem like a very distant memory now. These days I marvel at their seeming inability to hang their wet towels back on the rack, put their dirty clothes in the basket just five inches from where they threw it, and go ten minutes before screaming at each other...unless of course, it's the other extreme of two solid hours of creepy, silent, undivided attention to Minecraft or War Robots on their tablets :)

Yes I still get wet bomb kisses

The daily emotional mommy-coaster (my made-up word for the roller coaster ride of being a mom:) is real. I shout at them to do something I've asked like fifty times before, and become immediately defensive of them when their dad comes home and does the same thing! I question every word we choose and every action we take with scholarly scrutiny and pray we are nurturing little joyful, robust thrivers! The past pandemic year has afforded me morning till night interaction with my offspring. While I am grateful for this time, I also feel giddily excited to be sending them off to school soon; yet I know in true mommy-coaster fashion, the minute I drop them off, I will miss them and count the hours till I get a full report of how their new experience was.

Motherhood is the greatest thing and the hardest thing - Ricki Lake

My younger wild child recently asked me what 'motherhood' means. I compared it to childhood. I told him childhood is the period of time you are a child before you turn into a teen and adult. I then explained that motherhood is that period of time you are a mother, which could be a good seventy-plus year and beyond! :) You rear these little offspring until they are ready to leave you and build their own lives in this world...but the mommy-coaster never shuts down, does it? I watch my own mama worry over all her kids. My heart breaks for her spending every waking hour perusing her Facebook cancer group, posting questions, researching and dissecting advanced medical studies...searching for the cure to save her offspring...I see the anguish on her face watching my brother suffer, knowing she would do anything to take his place. I see my feisty, prayer warrior, eighty-six-year-old Gran traveling from state to state, country to country, door to door, going to each of her five children and fifteen grandchildren...whenever she is needed, even in a pandemic!

Mothers are the most powerful light warriors and unconditional love givers in this world and I am grateful to be surrounded by some of these amazing women!

My Gran & My Mama

The most important thing she'd learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a Great one! - Jill Churchill

I know these childhood years are fleeting and the mommy-coaster is never ending. What this journey has taught me is that we must learn to slow down ( and calm-down :) to be fully present in these moments. The wet bomb kisses, the continuous thread of 'which would you rather be' questions usually involving the option of strange earthy critters, superheroes or mythical legends, road trip conversations and games, long walks, waffle making, and the serious stuff too...the emotional breakdowns, the talks about being brave, being confident, being true to yourself, being honest, being responsible, being kind to each other...The point is to do your best, not beat yourself up over the many stumbles and falls and just enjoy the journey... and most importantly, love the little humans who we've created to be with us on this ride!

I salute the light warriors and unconditional love givers today and everyday!

xoxo,

Jess

Our two wildly different little humans :)