Being a Mom

Mother's Day...it means different things to different people, but ultimately it is all about appreciating the one person who has been with us from day one-our mom!  Whether you realize it or not, your mom probably loves you more than anyone else on this Earth...and why wouldn't she?  You are an extension of who she is...you truly are a part of her.  That's a pretty special relationship!

Had you told me 28 years ago that I'd be a mom one day, I would have laughed at you.  Being a mom was not part of my life plan.  After all I had big plans to be a fancy lawyer living in an apartment in a big city with lots of dogs.  Funny how some things change and other things never do!  Move ahead to today and I can't imagine my life not being a mom.  I've spent 60% of my life as a mom.  It is really what most defines me.  I AM a mom!  And I think that is a pretty great thing to be!

I can tell you that as a daughter, I am not always good at appreciating my mom.  However, I think that being a mom myself has given me a much greater appreciation for my own mom.   I think we all have those moments as children when we under-appreciate our mom.  Some of us are better kids than others (and I think mine is pretty great!). Sometimes our moms drive us crazy, I'm sure my daughter would agree that I drive her crazy at times-I'm willing to own that.  But no matter how angry or crazy they make us, we never stop loving them.  And hey, I bet we do a pretty good job of making our moms angry and crazy too, but she never stops loving us.  I just don't think it's possible for a mom to not love her child.

For me, today is also about my journey through motherhood...from the day I found out that I was pregnant to this moment in time right now.  I think about all of the things I have experienced because I chose to take this journey and what a journey it has been! From feeling her kick for the first time, to the first time I saw her, to leaving her on her first day of kindergarten, to her college graduation and so much in between, it has all been pretty amazing.  And the pretty awesome thing about being a mom is that even though we each have our own experiences and in some ways we take our journey alone, I feel like I am part of a club...the Mom Club!  And only other moms can understand how we feel about our children and how we feel about being a mom. It's a great club to be a member of because I believe that what we do and what we bring to the world is pretty special.

I must add here that I don't share the belief that in order to be a "real" mom, you must have given birth.  I do believe that there are other ways to be a mom too.  Having kids just isn't possible for every woman, but I know that there adoptive moms out there that love their children just as much as I do.  I know that there are foster moms acting as a mom to kids who have ended up in some unfortunate situations and there are surrogate moms-the women who take other people's children under their wings to offer extra support, guidance and love when it is needed.  And of course there are the moms whose children have four legs and fur.  I'm lucky enough to be one of those too and can tell you that I love my girls just as much as I love my daughter!  All of these great women are loving, caring, nurturing people who put someone else's needs before their own and isn't that what being a mom is all about?

Although Webster's dictionary defines a mother as a woman who has given birth, I much prefer the Urban Dictionary definition of Mom-"The woman who loves you unconditionally from birth, the one who puts her kids before herself and the one who you can always count on above everyone else." Moms are pretty awesome people!

Thanks mom, for all you've done for me!  And thanks to all of the other mom's out there who are giving of themselves every day.