happy mother's day

On Saturday night, I spent a few moments before bed at the bedside of each of these wee ones of mine. I held their warm little hands, doted over their peacefully slumbering faces, and kissed their soft cheeks.  I marveled over who they are... at this particular moment in life.  Somehow I received the grace not to wonder about who they might become one day, but just to be with them... to view them right now.

Those moments lingered with me all through Mother's Day.  So on Sunday night, I went back through their rooms and snapped a photo of each of them.  (Except Lila, who despite my use of the manuel focus, popped awake as the shutter clicked.  She's teething.  Need I say more?  Thus an old phone photo will have to do.)  I wanted this notion, these images of right now to stay with me.

"The days are long, but the years are short."  So. very. true.

The girls and that wonderful husband of mine created a fabulously relaxing and perfect Mother's Day for me.  (Of course, that included a hefty amount of required whining, a time out or two, and well, the usual. ;D)  There was cleaning by a certain 6 and 2.5 year old the day before... "I even cleaned the mirror in your bathroom!"  (As I noticed a pile of pillows stacked on the bathroom floor!)  There were homemade cards and plants awaiting me at the table, while breakfast and coffee were already being cooked.  Mass attended bright and early during which we (mostly) all managed to stay in the pew for the entire time.  A photo of all 3 Littles at least kind of looking at the camera at the same time.  The sink stayed clear all day, the floors were vacuumed, food appeared... and none of it was by my hands.  Really, what more could a mama ask for?  It was perfect.  And I write it all here so as to remember the fun of this little 'day' from these little slumbering babes.

 

At the end of it all, the words I read from Dana at danamadeit.com summed everything up perfectly::

"The best examples of unconditional love are probably in these little bodies.  Cause at the end of the day, no matter how often I've fallen short as a mom lost my patience, asked them to hurry up! (because I was the one running late)...they give me a hug and seem to forget the crazy day.  I want to be like them."

To all of the many fabulous moms out there, at so many different stages of being a mom, (and especially to my Mom!) all making such a beautiful mess of this whole 'mom thing'... Happy Mother's Day!