I am lucky.

I am one lucky girl.  I have the best job in the world.  Though every day is somewhat similar, certainly no two days are alike.  My life is full of adventure.  I get to rub shoulders with the greatest people every day.  I am a mother!!

Jed asked me last night right before bed on Mother's Day, what my favorite thing about being a mother is...and I told him it is in those small moments that fill your heart to the brim with love and joy.

Motherhood is made great at times when:

• Lily is brought into my bed when she woke up as Jed got up for his early morning meetings on Sunday.  In a bright and cheery voice she says "hi momma!"  Then she grabs my arm and hugs it firmly while she jabbers a little bit more then drifts back to sleep.
• Drew says he doesn't think he will be able go to sleep on Mother's Day Eve because he is so excited to give me the present he made for me at school.  And receiving his gift first thing in the morning when he woke up.
• I listen to Hannah in the back of the car, trying to impress her siblings with how high she can count.  1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11...over and over again.  Then Drew finally saying 12, and she cues right back in with 13-14-15-16-19-20-and finally ends up at 40.  And saying "pretty high, huh!"  Boy does that girl ever want to win and be the best at things!
• Madelyn was not being to even wait until mother's day to give me her present.  She gave it to me right when she got home from school on Friday.  She was about bursting at the seems for a week or two to not tell me she was growing a seed at school for me. 
• I see Drew, Madelyn, and Hannah all hold hands as they went up to the stand in church to sing their Mother's Days songs.  I loved seeing them all together right in the front, Hannah's head barely being able to see over the edge...all singing and smiling right at me.  Best Mother's Day gift ever.
• Overhear Hannah's bedtime personal prayer in the hallway, "please bless me to find my ducky.  Please make my teddy bear safe and that Rufus can't get it (that's our neighbor's dog...notorious for taking things and leaving other not so pleasant gifts on our sidewalk and lawn) and please help me to get bigger because I am little."  Melts my heart.
• Receive all of their mother's day papers from church.  When Hannah gave me hers, she told me "I drew you mad........and I ate your treat."  So Hannah, and so funny.
• I watch Lily's personality blossom and seeing her cute little mannerisms.   She loves to shrug her shoulders up and down over and over and say "I know"  (I don't know).
• I see Madelyn read to her little sisters, or help pick pokies out of a sisters foot, or comfort a little one when they are sad.

These are the things that make motherhood shine.  I love Mother's Day because it allows me to reflect on how wonderful being a mother is, how grateful I am for those who are mothers to me, and for those who fill in the gaps in my abilities and mother and teach my children, and it seems to recharge my batteries and reminds me that motherhood is truly the most important calling/responsibility I will ever have.  It fills me with gratitude and humility that I have been given this responsibility.

Of course there are the other kind of moments.  The moments that make me want to pull my hair out, or throw in the towel, or make me want to spend the rest of my day in time out......but those moments fade and I am still left with those joyful moments that are still able to shine through some of those most frustrating times.

Even though I have a lot to learn and much growth yet to be experienced in the motherhood department, I still feel like I am one lucky girl.