Embracing Motherhood

Posted by My Heart Song

11/16/2015

This week I've been thinking about motherhood.

I'm a mother to 7 children - 4 on earth and 3 in heaven. Being a mom is hard work. Lots of people comment to me now "You have your hands full!" This is true. But I like to respond with "Yes and my heart is full too." 

I love kids and I love my kids.

This week I had a follow-up appointment with my midwife. In the course of our debriefing of life with my baby, she heard my relaxed tone. She saw me respond to my baby when he needed to be nursed. She heard me when I told her that I am sleep-deprived, but I know this will pass soon enough. 

She then paid me quite a compliment. She said that she loved that I was embracing my role as a mom. She loved that I was cherishing the moments with my newborn rather than wishing them away for the sake of my convenience or sleep or career. She had tears in her eyes when she spoke of how few patients truly embrace mothering or seem to enjoy their role as mom. 

How sad, I thought, that this is the case. How sad because most of these other women are missing out on one of God's greatest gifts - the beautiful moments of mothering. 

I know that our culture de-values the role of a mother. 

But I also know that God's Word is the opposite, giving honor to the role of mom. And I know from my own experience how fulfilled I am when I embrace my role as a mother and wife. I am not seeking any other career. My children are and will be my masterpiece. They are eternal souls that are worth my time and effort, worth my literal blood, sweat and tears. 

And so here I am, with my four living children. I'm so tired that I could sleep for a week and not be caught up. I don't get a chance to shower as much as I'd like and my clothes constantly have spit-up stains. I am juggling homeschool read-alouds with my 7th grader, spelling lists with my 2nd grader, filling juice cups for my toddler and nursing my son around the clock. 

And yet these days are fleeting. I am being poured out. 

My life is being spent as I embrace mothering. 

And rather than be bitter at whatever "sacrifices" I have had to make, I rejoice in the privilege and opportunity to be a mother to these special people.