Counting My Blessings This Mother’s Day

My nine-year old daughter came home from school with a bunch of stickers the other day. One of them said Worlds Best Dad. She told me she was going to give that to her dad for Father’s Day to put on his water bottle. I told her I think that is a wonderful idea. Then I paused and sarcastically said;

Actually, how dare you. Mother’s Day is before Father’s Day. What about me?

We both laughed and my daughter quickly informed me that she knows Mother’s Day is approaching and that she will be sure to get me something.

That same evening she came into my room sobbing. She had almost finished making a bracelet for me with one of her jewelry kits when somehow all of the beads came falling off and onto the floor. When I finally calmed her down to find out that this is what she was so sad about, my heart broke a little for her. I told her there is still time before Mother’s Day and just knowing that she thought to make me something made my heart so full.

Somehow in that moment my mind transported back to a night years ago to when my now 12-year-old son was about four years old. My husband and I were tucking him into bed (on what seemed to be hour two of the bedtime marathon routine), my husband asked, “what do you think mommy should get for Mother’s Day?” My head immediately went to thoughts of a relaxing massage; some rarely encountered quiet time or maybe some shopping. My son then answered, “Well, I think she would love it if I drew her a picture.”

My. Heart. Melted.

I recall thinking that maybe he caught me in a moment of sheer exhaustion or maybe I was feeling mom guilt. I mean, he would come home from Pre-K with at least 4,000 new pictures every day that I had to figure out purposes for (ahem, like which ones might end up in recycling). But when I thought about him being so confident that the best present he could possibly give me was a handmade picture, I honestly couldn’t think of anything I would rather have.

It was a moment that made me stop and think how blessed I am.

Years later I still have those moments of feeling so blessed over something as small as a handmade bracelet; even though this one ended in catastrophe for my daughter. I know that gone very soon are these days of handmade gifts. While I don’t cherish every moment because quite honestly sometimes mom-hood is just plain hard; I do love when I am stopped in my tracks to have those moments where I cannot help but feel so blessed.

Maybe it’s because I know too many women going through heartache right now. Women who are trying hard to become moms only to be hit time and time again with bad news. I’m aware of too much pain in the world lately. This feels heavy on my heart.

As moms, it is impossible to always feel appreciated for everything that we do. In fact, we don’t even expect to be appreciated 24/7. It’s our job to keep the wheels turning on our lives. I often get frustrated with the clutter around the house, with reminding my kids to brush their teeth or clean their rooms or with what seems like a countless list of thankless things that moms are basically expected to do each day.

I remember when kids toys and artwork seemed to consume even the areas that I swear I just organized yesterday. I would look at the clutter as just another thing to conquer. I think the reason my son’s comment struck such a chord that I remember all these years later is because it made me stop. It made me think. It made me realize that to him, those pictures were not clutter. When he made something specifically for me, that is his present to me. I was never the mom to keep all art work and I honestly never regretted anything I kindly put into recycling. But I do treasure the certain pieces that I did keep; particularly now because he is certainly out of the stages where he would draw me a picture as a gift.

This Mothers Day, I really do plan on counting the blessings that I have in my two happy and healthy children.

(But don’t tell my husband, because once I count those blessings, I will also welcome some quiet time or a manicure/pedicure appointment).

This Mother’s Day, take a moment to count your blessings. Tell a mom in your life how much she means to you! If you are in the process of becoming a mom (whatever that journey might be), today is for you too!

And then, go ahead and feel even more appreciated with some much deserved and guilt free “me time”! All Mom Does approved!