For the Mothers

Happy Mother's Day!

I am sure you have all seen the emails going around about what it means to be a wonderful mom: you've been puked/peed/pooped on; you don't have any sleep; your hair is a mess; blah, blah, blah. Those are definitely merit badges for the Mom Scouts, but is that really what being a mom is all about?

I can only tell you what I think being a mom is all about is from the relationship with my wonderful mom, and the mother I am to my son.

My mom is the most forgiving, understanding, and kind-speaking woman you will ever meet. She understands giving my little family the space we need even though she and my dad would really love to see my son every weekend. She forgives me for my faults and flaws, and never ever holds them against me. If I am having a bad day, I can call her to vent and she says something positive that helps me refocus and get through it.

Having a son is probably the best thing that ever happened to me. The first time my husband and I got pregnant, everything seemed to be going well. At our 12 week appointment (you know, when you are supposed to be out of the woods), we learned that our baby didn't have a heartbeat. It was devastating. It was a pain and loss that I had never felt before. I went between being numb and crying. I had to have surgery to remove the pregnancy and it was the worst day of my life.

People who had good intentions told me there was probably something wrong with the baby and that is why the baby didn't make it, or that it was God's will, or that it just wasn't our time. Here's a tip: those things, no matter how comforting you think they are, just don't help. Please don't ever say those things to a friend who loses a baby. Just say you are sorry.

Later on that year, while getting ready to go tailgate at an Alabama game, I had a feeling that I should take a pregnancy test. Well, I took it and the rest is history - our little guy was born the following summer.

When I was pregnant my Aunt Brig told me something I still have not forgotten. She said to me, "he will be your salvation." I didn't quite understand what she meant at the time, but I think I am getting there now.

My child is my salvation in that I want to be a better person for him. I try harder to have patience, watch what I say and how act so that he has a good example. We sacrifice so that he can everything have he needs, if it means I bring my lunch to work, or don't go shopping whenever I want. And you know what? It is just fine with me. Sure, there are times I wish I could go buy whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, but then what would that teach my son?

My son loves sports (especially Alabama football) and he loves me. Unconditionally. He will try whip anyone who he thinks is being disrespectful to his mommy. We were driving through snow and ice, trying to get home last winter, when a jerk swerved over into our lane without any notice. I just kind of yelled a noise, no actual words. My son said, "MOMMY! WHAT HAPPENED?!" I told him a bad driver almost hit us, and he said "MOMMY! I GONNA GET DAT BAD DRIVER!! HE NOT HURT MY MOMMY!" He will come up to me for no reason at all and say, "Mommy, hold me." I try to stop whatever I am doing and hold him because I know it won't be long before he is too big or too cool for mom.

Happy Mother's Day. I wish all of the moms lots patience, lots of love and some sleep.