Today was as perfect as it gets. I woke up with Bo shoving a handmade card in my face with a sweet drawing of our family surrounded by hearts and dinosaur scales. Not sure about the significance of the latter, but she was proud all the same.
Then breakfast at Chaps. Grocery shopping (I'm sure some people wouldn't think of that as a treat, but when I get to do it alone, it's a pleasure). Gardening. Dinner at home--burgers and champagne. The smell of lighter fluid in the neighborhood. And a long run in the evening sunshine listening to P!nk.
(I'm a few months behind on pop culture--at least. Did you all see her performance at the Grammies this year? It just came to my attention the other day. Holy sha-zam! That woman makes me want to run a marathon.)
When I wasn't making plans to become a rock star and get tattoos, I kept thinking about what a privilege it is to be a mom.
I watched this video from Stephanie Nielson the other day. I'm sure you all know Stephanie, her blog and her story. If I try to re-tell it here, I'll just crumple up into a puddle of tears. Tears of sadness for what she has endured. Tears of joy for the inspiration she provides.
Stephanie's video is about her faith. She's Mormon, and she draws on her faith for strength.
(FYI, I'm not Mormon. You can read more about my difficult-to-label religion here.)
Stephanie's message about motherhood being a privilege really touched me. At one point in the video, she talked about how it's difficult sometimes to cope with wanting to look and feel beautiful again. But then later she concludes that motherhood and beauty are one in the same. Waking up each day, making her kids' lunches for school and watching them ride bikes down the street are all privileges she almost lost. My heart breaks that she has had to sacrifice so much to teach me that.
I thought a lot today about friends who aren't celebrating Mother's Day today or are celebrating it differently. Friends who haven't been able to conceive. Friends--fantastic, wonderful friends--who have yet to find love. Friends who have one child but have been longing to have another, and their bodies won't cooperate. Two family members--both of whom have four wonderful children each--but who I'm sure thought today about the babies they delivered and never got to take home from the hospital.
What I would do to fix all of that for my friends who are and would be amazing moms.
Motherhood is hard work. It's messy and loud and I screw it up all the time. But it is a privilege. And it is beautiful.
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