Mother's Day 2008

What a wonderful day to celebrate the divine calling of women. As I look at this picture of me with my Mother and daughter, I am literally in awe at the awesome blessing it is to be a woman and a Mom.

What I have learned in these past 6 months has moved me to utter humility for the role that each woman takes on when she becomes a Mother. Although I could not begin to list them all, here are a few things I am just beginning to comprehend:
-I did not realize before I had my own child that every thought I had would be dominated first by what was best for my baby (could this be why my Mom always asked me so many questions?)
-I did not know I would learn so quickly when my daughter's tears would be best remedied by a song or a story or by counting to ten or by going outside or by simply going to sleep (this should not surprise me since my Mother still knows how to best calm my fears)
-I did not know I would wake up in the night and have to check on my baby to make sure she was ok (what a new found gratitude I have for the many nights my Mother has spent worrying for me)
-I did not know I could awake with less than 3 hours of sleep and be completely overjoyed to see my little Lucy's smile (Perhaps this is why my Mom always seemed so excited to do things with me amidst all her other callings. Could I have possibly brought her even a fraction of the happiness my little girl brings to me?)
-I did not know that I would watch the news and feel sick to my stomach and wonder how I will even begin to protect my daughter (I now appreciate why my Mom has sent me all the countless emails regarding my imminent danger).
-I simply did not know a piece of my heart would forever belong to another being (I should have realized this, since I can feel my Mother's heart with me every where I go).
-When Lucy was born; Marc, my Mom & Dad and Mother-in-law were all there. Lucy needed a little help with her oxygen at first and was taken to the NICU. When it came time that Marc could take the grandparents in to see her, my Mom didn't go. At first I was puzzled why she wouldn't want to see her granddaughter. Then as the room cleared and my Mom and I were the only ones left in there as I was still recovering-I KNEW. My Mom would have loved to have seen this new baby-but she was not going to leave her other baby alone in her time of need. We never stop being or needing a Mom. How grateful I am that Motherhood is divinely mine to hold for eternity.
On a lighter note, Marc and Lucy got me this beautiful YELLOW DAISY TREE (who knew they even existed)! Does my husband know me or what! I LOVE it!
We (Marc) planted it for me on Saturday
Above is how big it will get someday
We enjoyed a lovely picnic and then had yummy dessert at Marc's parent's where the men favored us with Oatmeal cake mmmmmmmm