My Very First Mother's Day

Today was beautiful. And I must follow by saying, second to my wedding day and the day Jack was born, today was the most beautiful day of my life.

Today was my very first Mother's Day, and what a ridiculously beautiful day today was. We did absolutely nothing out of the ordinary- and yet, today was extraordinary.

I woke up this morning to beautiful flowers, a basket of pampering stuffs, fresh coffee and fruit courtesy of my amazing husband. He brought in my sweet baby, we all cuddled in the bed for a good half hour, and talked about nothing in particular until the pups started pacing, anxious for their breakfast.

I spent the morning crafting, rocking out to Bryan Adams, and enjoying my coffee as Mike sat with me, playing with Jack and reading him Bible stories while the dogs sprawled out on the floor next to us (thank you, Riley, for adding your own special touches to my Cricut mat). 

We went to church, enjoyed a great service, went to breakfast with Mike's family, then came home to entertain and feed the dogs before joining my family for dinner. And now we're home, my baby is asleep, and I'm lying here completely content and happy.

Today was beautiful.

Today was an affirmation for me. I became a mother 4 months ago, in fact 13 months ago to be fair, and yet today for the first time, I got to raise my hand when asked "all the moms raise your hand," and at breakfast when they handed out flowers to the moms, I got one too. I realized today I'm officially in the "mom club." It was amazing.

It may seem silly to say this now, but it's true. Today I got to be Mom, after spending my entire life admiring my mom, hoping one day I'd get to be just like her, I'm there :) well, I'm at least in the mom club. I don't know that I measure up to her just yet. But she is most certainly someone I hope to be someday.

For those of you who don't know her, she is perfect. At least, as perfect as a mother could ever hope to be. I have not, and doubt I ever will, meet anyone else who compares. She is my friend, my confidant, my shoulder to cry on, my person. She has managed to put up with an incredible amount of shit from me, and still does (I know I have it coming to me with Jack). But she is incredible. From watching me almost drown myself in the pool as a kid when I put water wings on my ankles "because I wanted to walk on water like Jesus," to cutting a hole in my mattress for the cat to sleep in, that time when I cut my hand open carving a pumpkin and she held me up as I wobbled around the house trying not to pass out. She dried my tears when my 7th grade boyfriend and I broke up "because I had braces and he was scared to kiss me," she listened to my stupid teenage drama all through high school, and she held me close when my high school boyfriend and I of over 2 years had a very nasty breakup. She helped me through college (twice), she spent hours with me on the phone when I was missing home, she came to Madison just to cheer me up and take me to the farmers market. She was a role model, a mentor, an image of God's grace through my entire life. She is the first person I will call to cheer me up, to go out to coffee, to walk aimlessly through stores looking at expensive commodities when I'm completely broke. She was there when I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy, holding my hand and laughing and crying right alongside me. She watched him as I spent countless days and nights studying so I could pass my board exam, and she now still will give up her own time, skip Bible study, reschedule appointments, and has even rescheduled a surgery for herself, simply to watch Jack for an hour or two. Had it not been for her, I would not be where I am today. 

So if you're reading this Mom, today is about you. And I can only hope that one day I am half the woman, mom, and friend you have been to me.