Rebecca: Mother's day thoughts

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Mother's day thoughts

Sometimes (maybe often) my thoughts are unusual. I'm feeling a little different about Mother's Day. I am very grateful for my mother. She is amazing and good. She not only gave me life but also gave me abundant living. She continues to love me unconditionally (as well as others) and she continues to support me and think I am amazing.

bunnies, finally another successful litter

I have also been wishing I knew a bit more about my grandmothers - for generations. I remember fondly my immediate grandmothers and appreciate them but wish I knew more of their thoughts, their dreams, their love and testimony. When I try and go any further back, there is almost no more information than major dates and names. It is hard to get to know someone when they don't share their story. I am hoping and praying that my children are developing positive relationships and happy memories with their grandparents.

The unusual part of my thoughts are that for Mother's day I was more excited to get something for my daughters than my mothers. I love my mothers (my own and mil) but I feel such amazing gratitude for the opportunity to be a mother. I have given birth to 8 children. Some might feel that is a burden and it is truly hard work at times but I have no regrets in the sacrifices that are required in raising a family. My family is spread out. I have been having babies for 21 years. Now my first baby is 27 and my youngest is almost 6. I have spent more than 27 years raising a family and I LOVE it. I don't look forward to an empty nest. I don't have some big agenda just waiting until I get free of this obligation. This is my purpose and I make plenty of mistakes along the way. It is not always easy to see the rewards. Sometimes it is down right hard to keep the long term goals in sight. It is getting down in the nitty gritty of daily living. It is providing the menial tasks and the thankless jobs because I get to serve some of the most amazing spirits to ever come to this earth. It is planting tiny seeds in the mud and yuck with the hope of miracles. I can't see all the potential in each seed. It takes years to grow and become all it was created to become but I get to watch and help the process. I get to rejoice with each new shoot the plant sets off. I get to see each bloom open. I get to endure the storms with them, the pruning, the blossoming and finally the bearing fruit.

This year as I think about Mother's day I feel grateful that a few children where willing to come to my family and allow me to be the mother. I feel to celebrate that I have daughters just beginning that path. They are just watching those little seedlings breaking forth from the dry ground and things may look a little difficult, even overwhelming but they are willing and so very much more capable than I was. They will make mistakes and together they will learn the things they need to. They have been given their own purpose and plan and they are embracing that role of woman. It includes wife, mother, nurturer.

My thoughts turn to celebrating their journey. My desire is to do all I can to encourage, support, sustain, be a listening ear, a cheer leader, a shoulder to cry on. I feel an overflowing gratitude for my family and that mothering never ends. I continue to need my mother. I wish and hope to know the many grandmothers. For now I will seek to be the mother others in my life may need and I hope to recognize and appreciate the many women that mother me in my journey.