On Mothering

It's hard to believe that it has been three years since Grace and I were discharged from the hospital on Mother's Day when she was hardly more than 48 hours old.  We were off to a pretty rocky start (in retrospect I'm increasingly convinced she had colic; I meet these newborns who don't cry but just sleep all the time and I'm like really?  they actually sleep all the time?  and they don't have screaming fits by which you could set the clock?) and I kind of wanted to punch all the people in the hospital who wished me a happy Mother's Day.  But we've made it three years and I once again think Mother's Day is a nice holiday, not one that brings out my violent streak.  It's also the kind of holiday that makes me a bit reflective and this is what has been on my mind today...

1.  I'm not going to articulate this as well as I would like to and certainly not as clearly as it is in my head, but I'll try.  I've often heard but until recently didn't really understand how parenthood gives me a greater understanding of God's unconditional love for us.  I fail regularly in so many ways, but God is patient with me and let's me keep trying, keep failing and He still forgives.  Not only does this give me a profoundly deeper faith perspective, it reminds me what patience really means as a parent.  Grace is going to try my patience every day, and not only do I need to be patient and compassionate, I need to keep supporting and teaching and guiding her without anger (or at least I need to keep a hold of myself and my frustration).  Nope, didn't manage to express it as I'd hope to.

2.  My mom is wonderful.  I am incredibly lucky to have a mother who was present, attentive, and always working hard to have good relationships with her children.  Every parent-child relationships has ups and downs and no parents or children are perfect, but I am incredibly blessed to have a mom who has bolstered me when I've needed it, has laughed, played, cried and just been there.  I can still text her to reassure me that my flat iron has an auto off switch, call for emergency cooking help, and ask her to spend her vacation time taking care of my child.  And everything in between.  Mom, you are the best.  

3.  Not only am I blessed with an awesome mom, I have an amazing husband.  I would not have him if it weren't for his mother.  So a huge thank you, love-filled Happy Mother's Day to Carolyn!  

4.  I have the best daughter and husband and the little ways they celebrated me this weekend are also wonderful celebrations of our family.  Steve got me beautiful flowers and Grace made me cards as well as a very sweet art project at school.  These are such appreciated gestures, but cliched as it may be, spending time with the two of them is definitely all I need.  

Here are a handful of photos from our Mother's Day hike and dinner at Patxi's...

 

 On the way back down on our hike, Steve was joking about how quickly I caught up with him and Grace when they had gotten ahead of me, and he said "wow, you're fast - like a gazelle! Or a cheetah!"  Grace thought that was hilarious and decided they should run ahead of me and started yelling as she ran "We have to run! Run from the cheating Mommy!"  Over and over again.  Steve tried to correct her and I just hope that no one else could understand what she was saying...