I Like Being a Mom!

27 Days to a Happy Mom - Day 13

You can get this shirt here

I suppose it might not come as too much of a surprise for me to say that I love motherhood.  I am where I want to be, the mom of my eight children.  I have seven healthy, mostly-happy and mostly-adjusted boys and one sweet, wild-tempered little girl.  I love them all dearly.  And deeply.  And incredibly more than I ever thought I could.

Who wouldn't love being a mom if you got to look like this?  I... well, my Angel looks a bit like this, anyway!

When I was a little girl, I did play with dolls.  And we played "house" a lot with the neighbor kids.  And I caught grasshoppers and climbed trees and read books and rode my bicycle - just like all the other kids on my street.  And my mom was a very important part of my childhood.  She loved me and took care of me and bandaged my skinned knees.  Did I say she loved me?  I knew she did, and I knew that I was important to her.  I saw, through her example, that her role as mother was critical to the happiness of our family.  And I could see that she loved being my mom.

As my younger brothers came along, she taught me how to mother.  I watched her nurse babies (Why are there two breasts, Mom?  One is vanilla, and the other is chocolate, dear.).  I watched her change cloth diapers - and wash and fold them.  I watched her bathe and dress and love my brothers (even when they were pests.).  I learned under her patient tutelage how to clean and care for a home and the people in it.  

I always figured I'd grow up, go to college, get married, and have a family of my own.  If my mom loved it so much, then it must be pretty good.  I was blessed to have her, and I realize that not everyone is as lucky to have such a superb role model.

And now I love, love love my role as mother.  No, I don't love the nasty diapers and cleaning up after stomach flu and late-night homework projects.  My mom wasn't fond of cooking or crafty stuff.  No one is a perfect mom... I'm not sure what a "perfect mom" even is, let alone whether she exists!  But the hugs and slobbery kisses and helping these precious babies grow up to be responsible human beings... it's all worth it.  So worth it!

Eight times, I've been handed a new baby fresh from Heaven.  Eight times I have fallen in love.  And with every week (I won't say every day, because - let's be real - some days just aren't that great.  Some days I focus on the bad parts.), I fall more in love with these kids of mine.  I wouldn't trade them for anything.

I'm their mom.  And I love it!

Just for today... let yourself feel a good amount of satisfaction in just being a mom.