The Mom I Want to Be

Once you become a Mom, Mother’s Day completely changes. I feel like my brothers and I always did a pretty good job of making my mom feel special on those days. But now I realize how much MORE she probably needed.  Not trying to keep score,  but she had four kids and I have one…  At the very least my mom deserved a week of Mother’s Day celebration!! Bravo Mom.

My mom is steady and gentle. She listens and watches any video or Snapchat and likes every picture on social media of me and my siblings. She makes the BEST Rice Krispie treats. She overflows with wisdom. Every Bible she has ever owned looks like it is 15 years older than it actually is.  She laughs so hard she cries. She is willing to try any food you put in front of her.  She appreciates the small things like travel-size hand lotion. She’s a bookworm and I love that it has rubbed off on Liv. She’s my friend. She loves my dad.

After becoming a Mom I took a hard look my Mom. It’s hard to comprehend what those women add to your life.  All those little things that went unnoticed became apparent after having Liv. Those little things made me realize the Mom I want to be.

I brought Liv home from the Circus yesterday, or as she calls it “Ca Coo.” 😉 We sat down in the middle of the kitchen floor and started talking about the elephants, dinosaurs (umm, yes) and all the things we saw.  Her little eyes were still glowing from the experience we just encountered.

As I looked at her I had wondered, “Is this it? Is it just supposed to be us three?” I guess God only knows if we are meant to have more join our crew. But in that moment I knew I had to be the Mom I want to be, not the Mom I felt I had to be.

What kind of Mom do you want to be? We all are unique so there isn’t one way to be a good mother.

The Mom I Want to Be

I don’t want to be a full-time stay at home mom; I enjoy working.  I work about 30 hours in an office and get up early each morning to get a full work week in.  I take two half days so that I get dedicated time with Liv during the week. That’s the Mom I want to be.

I have Hello Fresh delivered every week so it takes one thing off my plate.

I tell Liv a least 20 times a day I love her. We practice “peeese” and “tant too” because showing gratitude and appreciation are extremely important to me.

Even when I am on edge, I try and check myself at the door. From the moment she was born, I have worked hard on the energy I project around Olivia.  It has been a challenge because naturally I am a type A personality but I feel so content with myself and surroundings since I made that change.

I do my best to practice patience and follow through. Even if it takes 10 minutes to pick up the cheese she just spit on the floor.

I can’t wait to leave little hand written notes in Liv’s lunchbox like my mom did. And continue the tradition of special donuts with a candle and singing “Happy Birthday” on your b-day morning before school.

The Mom I want to be gives grace. The grace that has continually covered me all my life and has saved me. I pray that over my daughter every night.

My challenge to you is to take some time to think about the little things your mom did for you. It’s the most selfless but rewarding job out there and you wouldn’t be the success you are today without that dear woman guiding you each and every single day.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!

I love you, Mom.