My First Mother's Day

(The cover photo is of the four generations on my mom's side of the family. Gus was only about a week old!)

I sat down with the intention of writing a blog in preparation for my first Mother’s Day, but honestly, nothing is really coming to mind. When you’re a stay-at-home-mom, you’re on duty 24/7. It’s a never-ending cycle of naps, diapers, feeding, and following around a very active almost 11 month old. This Mother’s Day really won’t be all that different from any other day with my son and husband. I’ll probably get to sleep in and we’ll go eat at my favorite restaurant. I already gave myself a Mother’s Day gift by getting my hair done a few weeks ago, so the only gift I’m expecting is coffee in bed. (Just kidding! But it does sound nice.)

As a kid, I used to think of elaborate gifts to make and give to my mom. We’d make crafts in school, but I’m sure she couldn’t possibly have kept all of them. Flowers, chocolate, and balloons are always a safe bet that any mom would appreciate. But experiencing this holiday for the first time, I’m realizing there’s so much more to it.

What I really want for Mother’s Day is to sit out on the back patio with my husband as we watch our son crawl around the yard exploring his little world. I want it to be sunny so that we can go to the park and swing together. I want the house to be clean beforehand so that’s not something I have to worry about. I want the day to be free of any sickness or emergency room visits. I want there to be nothing that leaves my husband nor I stressed or exhausted at the end of the day. I want to soak up even the tiniest of snuggles that I get from my very active, healthy, little boy. There are no chocolates, cute mugs, or fuzzy blankets that can substitute for a day spent with my two favorite people in the entire world.

I want to reflect on all that has led me to be a mother. I want to look back and see where I was a year ago (when I was way too pregnant) and how far God has brought our little family. I want to look into the future and imagine where we’ll be a year from now with an almost two-year-old. I want to scroll through the thousands of photos we have of our little boy and smile at all the memories we’ve created already. I want to spend the day living every possible moment in gratitude to all God has done. (I couldn’t even begin to list all of them, but I did make a decent list on my last blog post.)

So if you’re wondering how to spend your Mother’s Day or you’re someone looking for a way to show your mom how thankful you are for her, maybe consider something beyond the typical flowers or chocolates. Those are never a bad idea, but a home cooked meal or a day spent together without distractions will make longer lasting memories that you’ll both cherish for years to come.

Happy Mother’s Day to You!