Mother's Day 2009

i will never forget my first mother's day. preslee and mason were only 3 1/2 months old as i cradled them in my arms and whispered, "you're the best mother's day present ever." the day seemed surreal. how strange it all was – being someone's mom! the girls were baptized that day and we spent the day with our family, my own mom mothering me and marveling at her second and third grandchildren. each time someone said how beautiful the girls were, i felt a swelling of pride and satisfaction at a "job well done."

but these maternal feelings did not start on mother's day. they surfaced months prior, on the day i found out i was pregnant and my image of myself was changed forever. the day i saw the positive sign on the pregnancy test was the beginning of my evolution as a mother. i began to take care of myself as though i were already holding my babies, and indeed, i was. drew also began treating me differently. he became more protective of me and the two little lives that i was growing.

the months that led up to that first mother's day were long and challenging, yet not nearly enough time to prepare for the life-altering reality that it is to become someone's mom. but as i lay cuddled with preslee and mason on that first mother's day morning, i realized that these two little people were an extension of myself, and i was ready for all the changes that motherhood would bring.

by my second mother's day, i felt much more at ease with my newfound role. after all, having survived a year with twins made me a veteran mom deserving of a day in my honor. i really had begun to understand what it meant to be a parent. i think becoming a parent is the only way to truly appreciate and understand your own parents. little did i know that i was already pregnant with our third baby girl, finley. eleven days later, we found out our wonderful news!

that day was magical; i felt full of anticipation and hope that i would become a mother for the third time, and later that year, i did. finley clark was born january 14, 2009, exactly on the date of her scheduled c-section. she was just as healthy and beautiful as her sisters and all my fears and anxiety were chased away by fulfilled dreams and prayers.

this brings us to my third mother's day. though i have not yet celebrated it, i can tell you that this year's celebration will be the most significant. i have so much to be thankful for as a mother: three healthy children who love me unconditionally. they are too young to know what mother's day is about, so this day is really for me to celebrate our life together, to revel in their smiles, to cherish being their mother. and i do cherish being their mother.

this day will remind me just how in love with them i am. the day-to-day business of life can make it difficult to focus on all the things that make children so special, the joy they bring and the love they embody. i think we all need that reminder sometimes.

and in case you need it, here's your reminder: never let motherhood take on such a feeling of routine that a glance at your children no longer leaves you in awe. mother's day is to honor all of us who claim the title, but it's also a day for us to honor the task that we have been given. it's nice if your kids are old enough to draw you a picture, offer flowers or give a gift. but the real joy of mother's day – no matter the age of your children – is to celebrate within ourselves the immense love that we feel for these beings we've created. and once you have the hang of that, isn't every day mother's day?