The Carter's

Today I feel totally appreciative to have the opportunity to be a mom.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the potted plant liza painted and the card, and the facial (i took for myself at the gym on thursday and called jason for his credit card number! ha!), the new cookbooks, the pancakes jason made this morning, and the HAPPY MOTHERS DAY liza screamed with delight.

But, truth be told, I love being their mom most of all.

I can't think of one other thing i do that compares to the joy i feel as a mom. There are the days that test you and then there are the days that you pass with flying colors.

But moms aren't just the ones that do the birthing-they are the grandmothers,godmothers, my wonderful, wonderful friends, mentors, teachers, babysitters...anyone who loves and nurtures.

it's the women in our lives who teach, care, love, act, listen, hug, wipe away the tears, tell us everything is going to be all right, say no, say yes, guide us, who pray and have faith in us.

it's the blessings of a mothering spirit..as they touch lives and hearts forever..

they mother because of their great capacity to love and they give of their generous spirit without expectation

mothers get to love with all their heart, they care and nurture another life, sing songs out loud, play make believe, snuggle under the covers, splash in a bubble bath, play peek a boo, dance when the spirit moves them, and do whatever it takes to help their child grow to be all they can be.

i. love.being. a. mom.

i am so grateful for the opportunity.

i know i wouldn't be half the mom i am without the support of everyone around me...especially that husband of mine!!!!! thanks j for all you do....as i'm typing this he is outside playing with liza chasing birds from the new bird feeder he hung yesterday. i am so grateful.

i am grateful for my own mother who inspires me everyday. she is someone i talk to 1000 times a day for advice, an ear to listen, someone to laugh at my bad day with, someone to delight in my good ones, or someone to just talk about cute shoes with. i love ya to death mom! you know that! i am so grateful.

i am thankful for jason's mom. she raised jason to be such a great husband and father. he is sympathetic, polite, sensitive, nice to everyone he meets, positive and hard working...all things that are a product of his mother. i am so grateful!

here's a run down of my mother's day 2009

1:30am

mccoy wakes up, hungry

2:15
put him back to bed
3:00
liza runs in screaming
jason takes her back to her room to sleep with her

4:30

mccoy back up, hungry
530

fell asleep feeding him, he doesn't want to lay back down, put him in swing

730

back up, mccoy has LOTS of smiles for his mama

go downstairs..yum! breakfast!

liza screams HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

830

go find liza in my room where she has taken out around 1000 wet wipes and decorated my room with them. i tell her calmly not to do that.

she runs down the hall screaming "scared of mommy"

i follow with her church clothes and she is still screaming that she's scared of me.

"i say happy mother's day to you too" and begin my pretend crying ( I've learned to never underestimate the power of this)

but she tells me to "SSSSHHHHHHH"

i tell her that she has hurt my feelings

she says "it's ok mama, i'll give you hug" she comes to hug me and says that her feelings are hurt too and her tummy hurts and she has a boo boo on her foot..i kiss them all and get her dressed.

then we give each other zurberts. we're friends again.

mccoy is just being a good little guy this whole time but then gives me his mother's day surprise after church when i pick him up out of the car and he has pooped ALL over his whole outfit and everything that it has touched. beautiful.

once again. i love being a mom and all my perfectly imperfect days that are included!