Thoughts on Motherhood

I had such a wonderful Mother's Day on Sunday. I'm so grateful for my little ones who made it so special for me. Jon and the kids brought me breakfast in bed and my parents sent a delicious edible arrangement! Isn't that sweet?!

I wasn't the only one who enjoyed it!

Then Mr. Wonderful gave me these beautiful flowers. I am truly lucky to be the mother of his children. Not just because he gives me flowers. ;)

The kids made some cute stuff at school too. This plant is so cute! It says, "Thank you for helping me grow"

Unfortunately, after a few days, this is what it looks like now! Hopefully I'm better at raising kids than plants. :)

I read something on a friend's blog on Mother's Day, and it has been on my mind ever since. It had a real impact on me, so I had to share it...

"Last year while on vacation, I attended church at the local ward and one of the speakers in Sacrament Meeting shared something so sad, I don't think I will ever forget it. She was, I think, in the stake Young Women's presidency, visiting with the Young Women from one of the wards one Sunday. One of the other members of the Stake YW Presidency asked the girls to raise their hand if they wanted to be a mother some day. Not a single girl raised her hand. Sure that she had been misunderstood or was misunderstanding she reiterated the question and received the same response. Finally she asked the girls about it and was blown away by what they told her, "Why would we want to do the same thing that makes our mothers so unhappy?"

These girls had only ever heard their mothers complain about the stress and responsibilities of their position. They had seen no evidence in real life of Motherhood being joyful or fulfilling in any way. Under those circumstances, I really don't blame them for having no desire to do it themselves. Those poor, poor girls. So my Mothers Day message to all the women in my life is this: Cherish your motherhood. Cherish the nature of your Mother Heart. Vocally and often, tell others, especially your daughters, how much you love the privilege God has given you to nurture His children. Take a moment every day to reflect on every good thing about being a mother and reset your mindset so the tasks of your life aren't only drudgery."

Thank you Carol, for your beautiful post. It's an inspiring reminder for all of us mothers.

And here is some wonderful counsel from Elder Ballard:

"What can young mothers do to reduce the pressure of raising young children and enjoy their families more?
"Recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction.

Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: 'The biggest mistake I made as a parent is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of my three children sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less."

I am truly grateful to be a mother, and I recognize how blessed I am to have this sacred opportunity. But I wonder if my kids see that joy day in and day out? When they're fighting, or when I'm exhausted, or when the house is a mess, or when I feel pressure to do more than I have time or energy to do... these are the times that I need to remember to keep smiling and to focus on the blessings. I hope we as mothers never feel insignificant, or like we're "JUST a mom." The First Presidency of the church has made it clear that as mothers, we are performing a holy and noble work...

“Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels. Because mothers are essential to God’s great plan of happiness, their sacred work is opposed by Satan, who would destroy the family and demean the worth of women."

I am grateful to all of the women in my life who are such wonderful examples of joyful motherhood. And especially for my own dear mother who was such a shining example to me growing up. She wasn't perfect, but I never doubted her love for our family, and her love of motherhood, and that made such an impression on me. It is her unfailing love that instilled in me a desire to be a mother. I can only hope to pass on that kind of legacy to my own precious daughters.