Motherhood... a Divine Calling

With Mother's Day just around the corner I thought I would talk about what motherhood means to me. Today I met a woman who tried to conceive for 20 years!! She decided not to try medical intervention. She told me that she felt that if it was meant to be then it would happen. She decided to leave it in the Lord's hands. Well... here she was in her 40's and she finally got pregnant. What an inspiration! How many of us take this gift for granted?

I was blessed with four wonderful pregnancies and consequently four beautiful children. Although my first pregnancy and delivery were not a walk in the park, overall it was a positive experience and I delivered a healthy baby boy. That's all a mother asks for in the end. My husband and I were blessed with good fertility and did not have any problems getting pregnant. That is something I never took for granted. It seems like all my life I have been surrounded by friends who have trouble getting pregnant and I never understood it. It made me mad to see these wonderful women who would make awesome parents not be given the opportunity. It made me even MORE mad to see people who did not even want kids get pregnant before my eyes. That was probably the hardest thing for me to understand.

Motherhood is a divine calling and a blessing given to women. We are born with the divine nature that enables us to be loving, kind, gentle, and nurturing with our babies. I see my daughter, who is only 6, already wrapping her dolls in blankets and doing other things that the boys definitely don't do. The differences are so evident. Even those women who don't have children of their own will be given the opportunity to be a part of a child's life. It might be a niece or nephew, a neighborhood kid, or perhaps a child from church. They will have a hand in raising that child and giving them all the love and support that they have to give.

I have a friend who recently adopted a beautiful baby boy (this will make it her second son) and in many ways I think this will be such a special Mother's Day for her. I have to admit that I was a bit jealous seeing her with such energy and being able to enjoy those tender first days and weeks that you can't ever get back. I just remember how tired I was after each of my babies and it definitely took me some time to recuperate. Adoption is definitely one of the greatest gifts someone can give. It's an unselfish act and takes so much courage and love. I can not imagine having to face such a decision. However, I am so glad that so many do and that moms like my friend are given this precious gift and opportunity to be a mother. I know in my heart that these babies were sent from heaven and it doesn't matter HOW they got here, they BELONG here and one only has to see the miracle of adoption to see it. I am so happy for my friend, and I know that she is going to be such a wonderful mom to him.

This post is dedicated to all the wonderful moms out there who don't think twice about putting others before themselves.... who dedicate their time and effort in making sure that their kids are fed, bathed, taught, and loved.... who juggle home, school, spouses, and such.... who wear so many hats I can't even name them all.... and lastly, who are the unsung heroes of the world!!!
*****************************
Being a mother is the hardest
job there is....you don't get
a paycheck, praise, or even a
break....but I wouldn't trade
it for anything in the world!
*****************************