As I sit here at 10:51 on a Saturday night waiting for my work phone to ring, I am contemplating what I have learned from the "moms" in my life.
First of all there was my Great Aunt Gen. She was like a grandmother, all loving, kind, and sweet. She taught me about God, His love and His sacrifice. She showed me it is a necessity to love Him and follow Him. She made sure I got a wonderful Christian education. She sent me to Friendship for 14 years. She kept me grounded. She also taught me fun things like it really is possible to exercise to classical music, in your home, in a dress and heels. She also taught me that being a mom has nothing to do with giving birth to a child.
Secondly, there is my Grandma. She taught me the value of hard work, how to run a household, and how to make the best of what you have. She was a nurse, and taught me by example how to be a great nurse. She told me secrets of how to talk to doctors, how to balance a check book, how to spend $3 when you have $4.( I don't always listen to this one.) She taught me that I could do anything I set my mind to. I was thinking of this when I was helping her bathe this week. She has also taught me that there is no guarantee that we will remember these things
Lastly there was my Mama. She not only taught me things not to be as a mom, she taught me good things to be as a mom too. She taught me that it is perfectly acceptable to cancel your date to stay home with your daughter just because she is being a drama queen. She taught me that it is the little things that stick with you, like singing a certain song before bed, having a special night for you and mom every now and then, and it is always important to support your child, even if you don't think what they are doing is the best thing for them.
I haven't had a traditional mom. I have had several I unconventional ones. Currently I have a great mother in law. She has taught me that just always being there is a great thing. You don't have to be in the middle of things, but when your kids need you, they will find you. This spring, we had a scare, and things could have been worse than they are. I would have missed this mom in my life. She's the most "normal" mom I have had. I look to her for strength and support on things from the kids to work, to faith. Lord knows, she's the only other woman that knows my husband like I do.
What have my children taught me about being a mom? They have taught me that I AM that mom. You know, the one who cries at all their accomplishments. The one that is so sappy, it makes you kinda vomit in your mouth just a little bit. I am a mom who is so fiercely protective of my children, that I will let them go and make their own mistakes even if it makes me crazy. I am a mom who prays for my kids daily, and encourages them to pray.
Another thing I have learned about myself as a mom is that I actually enjoy being a modified stay at home mom. I am a nurse and work as a weekend on call nurse for a hospice agency. I work on Sat, Sun, then on Mon night. Otherwise, I am at home with the kids. I love being able to help Greyson with his homework, pick up Addy from preschool and cuddle on the couch after lunch. I like to cook, even if I don't do it too often. I am still trying to find my groove with all the running around between dropping at school, and preschool, then picking up, but I think it may be getting easier.
They have taught me that I can love someone more that I ever thought possible. Before we had Greyson, we had 2 miscarriages. I did well. They were early on, and I guess I knew that those were not the children God had for me. I know that their little lives were not useless. They taught me things too. Sometimes, I think about those lives. They were precious to me. I wonder what those little faces would have been like. What their personalities would be. Would they be like Addyson and Greyson or totally different? I also can't believe how much I love Greyson and Addyson.
Lastly, I have learned that being a mom is pretty cool and great. I have also learned that it is pretty hard to mess up being a mom, (even when you do). We can feel like we messed up so much, but then those little ones come up with the sweetest things to say about you. They don't notice all the "bad" things you do. They notice much more of the good things!
