Sacrifice

On Mother's Day, you usually only hear one word.

Sacrifice.

I'm sure non-mother people get tired of hearing that word so let's dissect what you're actually hearing.

Sleep. Any time you talk about a mom, you talk about how much sleep she has lost due to her new, nursing "bundle of joy" but what you don't understand is missed sleep goes well beyond the nursing months. For years afterward, you lay in bed at night and replay the day wondering where you went wrong. Maybe you're trying to master a new dinner routine so that your little one gets fed adequately, bathed completely, read two books and in bed by 8:30. Some think about how they've lost their temper with the smallest members of their house and blame themselves for everything that went wrong. You say things like "If only I had done..." or "Maybe I went a little overboard with...". It. Never. Stops. Eventually, you look at the clock and see that it's 1 in the morning and the cycle will begin again in 6 short hours.

Sanity. When my mom was younger, she took my siblings to Disney World.... alone. To say sanity is lost as a mom is an understatement. You don't really care if people look at you and think that you're crazy. You love ferociously, care deeply and ooze passion from your pores. Who cares if you're insane?

Life. This isn't just about your night life and hanging out with friends. I say this one because I've heard so many people say "If only I can make it to 18 years" or "When they turn 18, they're out". Let's take a step back for just a minute. If you're mother is still with you, stop talking to her.

Cold turkey.

Never speak to her again. Never again share your ups and downs. Never call her "just to chat" about what's going on in your life. Never again call her for a white sauce recipe for your cucumbers (M, you know I'm talking to you). Just don't.

When you step back and think about it, a mother's job is NEVER done at 18 years post delivery. You may not be physically providing for your child (and some may) but you'll always be there for your child no matter what the situation is. The job is never done. I angers me when I hear people talk about how when their kids are 18, they want to take back their lives. Like they made such a sacrifice to someone they didn't want in the first place. I would gladly take a day with J over a day in Paradise.

Home. This is one is just for fun. I remember when we moved into our house, we started painting a few rooms. B had painted the baseboards in our living room and was obsessed with keeping them clean and scuff-free. Now J is here and there are toys all over the house (and some that sing during the night) and guess what, scuffs on the baseboards. You sacrifice your cleanliness when you have kids and you don't really care. You know you've made memories that day and that's all you care about.

My mother is a rock star. She always has been and always will be. When she was young, she sacrificed her "party years" to raise 3 kids. One of whom has a disability from a birth defect. She then sacrificed her dignity when she divorced at a young age. I say dignity because I'm sure she had to say to my granddad at some point "you were right". Ugh. Don't you hate those words?

She never complained and never used her situation as an excuse. (I hear that so much these days. Grow up and get a grip on your life!) She did what she had to do for her little family and made the best of the situation. Then at the "ripe old age" of 35, she sacrificed her freedom to bring another life into the world (your's truly). To say she has made sacrifices throughout her years is an understatement. She has loved.

She's an amazing lady and I'm so happy to call her my mom.

Happy Mother's Day, Icky-vay!

-W