Source:
In this week’s episode I am celebrating all Mamas everywhere! And, while I love all things Mother’s Day, I am also cognizant that Mother’s Day isn’t joyful to all. So, with that said,
To that Mama scrolling through Facebook on Mother’s Day seeing everyone’s beautiful family pictures and celebrations, while struggling to find your own joy, I see you.
I know that there are women out there who struggle every Mother’s Day. Those who can’t scroll through social media because it makes them feel so very empty and incomplete.
To those Mountain Moving Mamas out there fighting for your child’s very life, I see you.
To those Warrior Mamas who have suffered unthinkable tragedy and lost your children, I see you.
To those Overcomer Mamas that have fought through Hell and back for both you and your children, I see you.
To those Survivor Mamas whose womb has never been filled, I see you.
To those Fighter Mamas who may not have a relationship with your children right now but won’t give up until you do, I see you.
To all the Mamas out there who can’t look at the picture of my smiling family on Mother’s Day without your heart breaking in two,
I SEE YOU.
I don’t for one second take it for granted, nor do I post without considering how painful this day may be for each and everyone of you. I see you and I love you. I’m aware that after Mother’s Day is over, those of us celebrating will go back to life as we know it. We’ll rush kids out the door and off to school, yell at our children to stop picking on their brother, and shuttle kids to baseball practice, gymnastics, cheer, etc… And you, will continue life as you know it, a life that none of us can imagine and pain that none of us have experienced. I wish there was more comfort I could offer you. But, for today, know this. I SEE YOU and I LOVE YOU!
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.”
~2 Thessalonians 3:16
Every season brings a new challenge, new guilt, and new fears… As a Mom , I very rarely feel like I know what I am doing.
To the Mom who just had a new baby and feels completely lost, I see you. I was you.
You have your first baby. He’s beautiful and you’ve never experienced love more deeply than this very moment. You can’t believe you and your husband made such a perfect human being. You leave the hospital, take him home to ntroduce him to his new house, lay him in his basinette and then smile as you watch his little chest rise up and down as he sleeps peacefully. You smile as you listen to his sweep sleep noises and then suddenly realize his chest isn’t rising up and down in the same rhythm it was a second before. You stare intently at the rhythm of his tiny chest. Panic creeps in as you start to worry what would happen if he didn’t remember to breathe. You scoop him up out of his basinette and take him over to the couch where you can lay with him on your chest so that you can make sure he continues to breathe. Exhausted you fall asleep only to wake up at 2 am with the baby still sleeping on your chest. You instantly feel like a failure. DO NOT co-sleep. This was the first rule broken. You realize that you have no idea what on earth you are doing and you can’t believe anyone has entrusted you with the life of another human.
To the Mama with an infant that doesn’t sleep and wants to be held constantly, that is currently hiding in her closet listening to this podcast just to be able to gain a few moments of uninterrupted sanity…. Girrrrrl…. Let’s pause for a moment of silence. I get it. He doesn’t like you and you’re not certain you like him at this very moment. You will get through this. You will survive. That infant will turn into a toddler that wraps his chubby arms around your neck and kisses your face, then a little boy that picks you wildflowers, and eventually onto a young man with the funniest personality. You will laugh at his unique perspective on things and be amazed at the way his mind takes the world in. You will not only like each other, but relish your time spent together and conversations had.
To the stay at home mom whose baby is about to start school, I see you. I remember the gut wrenching sadness of knowing that someone else would have my baby for 8 hours a day. I remember knowing that my children’s safety was turned over to someone else for the majority of the week. I remember thinking that they would now spend more time in the care of others than with me for the next 13 years.
I remember thinking that I wish I would have held them more when they were home every day with me and that the last five years had been the fastest of my life. I remember hoping and praying that I had done everything right. I remember praying that I had taught them to be kind to others, to wait their turn, to
