WE GOT IT FROM OUR MAMAS
Mothers Day. It feels like a birthday for all women. A reminder of our power, grace, strength, courage, resilience, fight, and love. For some of us today is filled with pain, disappointment, heartache, and loss- I don’t want to ignore that. Today is incredibly painful to a lot of men & women. For you, I lift you up in prayer and hold you close to my heart. Your strength to get through today is magnificent. We see you & we’re with you. For some it’s a reminder of lost pregnancies, relinquished parental rights, traumas, and resentment. We, your brothers & sisters, are with you with love.
Being a woman is my favorite thing in the world. I’m exploding with estrogen at all times. I’m emotional, powerful, loving, nurturing, empathetic, and resilient. I am these things because of the women around me- Most importantly my mother. She taught me how to be a woman- how to live with integrity and empathy. She taught me how to lead with grace and how to connect with people in a way that makes them feel seen. She made little things the big things and showed me how to celebrate and cherish moments. Sometimes that meant waking me up in the middle of the night to build a snowman or plotting a way to get me out of a situation I didn’t want to be in by telling me to blame her and just come home. She instilled a confidence in me has has given me control of myself in a peaceful and wholehearted way. She showed me how to say “no” and how to do what I want to do. She taught me how to be brave and how to develop a dream, fight for the dream, and then enjoy it. She is on my team even when I’m going to learn a lesson when it’s over. She understands that people are never too old to need their mama’s love, tea time, and cuddles. She honors the importance of always being our safest place. She created a home that smells of the same joy, provides the same peace, and cultivates the same laughter everyday. She is honest no matter what and bold. She defendsall and never stops learning how to do even more of that. She is everything that makes the world good and beautiful. God gave her this deep understanding for the heart of her children and an awareness of how to love us as He does. It’s indescribable. It’s heaven. To be hers is to be loved and known by God. He knows we needed to be each other’s. I believe in Him because of this first example of His love He showed the day I became my Mother’s Keeper and she became mine.
Mothers carry all of the magic in the world. There are many people who hold that magic for us when our mother’s cant for many reasons for many people. Today honors all of the people in our lives who provide a mother’s love. The nannies, the teachers, the parents of our friends, the big sisters, the aunts, grandmothers, social workers, and the wonderful men capable of providing that special love.
The past few years have been about discovering who my mother is as a woman and not just “my mom”. Her identity doesn’t stop at “mother”. When growing up you think your teachers live at school just to teach you and your mothers never did anything like you’re doing as a high school badass.
Becoming a grown up has given me new glasses to see her beauty with. I’ve been able to care for her, find answers together, pray together, learn together, travel together, start new chapters together, and be best friends to each other. It’s the coolest thing in the world to see your mom as a best friend and woman because you finally see how much she molded you and how much she did for you just by being herself. How much she sacrificed, overcame, and promised. I love being her best friend and I love having her as mine. There isn’t a soul who knows me better or loves me more. There isn’t a soul I love more.
If you know me you know I’ve wanted children forever. I’m 25 and if I won a million dollars I would adopt as many children as that allowed me to. Everything in me wants to be a mother. I cannot wait. I love being Auntie Em and Titi Em but my mother created me to be just like her and as you’ve read she is a MOM through and through. She is God’s definition of MOTHER. I cannot wait to share the gift of my own motherhood with my mama when she becomes her most anticipated favorite title, Giga (Grandma).
There are a few mothers in my life who I have to honor by name because I’m in awe of the fact that I get to do life with these angels.
My best friend Emmy, it’s your first Mother’s Day with your son. God has put such a graceful and breathtaking anointing on your life. He picked James for you and you for James. It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to watch you become a mother and to stand hand in hand with you through the journey. Your strength is immeasurable, your courage is inspiring, and your honor is exquisite. Your honor for yourself as a daughter of Christ and knowing so clearly what is best for you and what is true about our God has strengthened my faith. We were 14 years old in the parking lot that day when I introduced myself, “I’m Emily, Your boyfriend sucks.” Neither of us could’ve known that that was when God had given us each other to walk through it all. I love you, Emmy. Happiest Mother’s day to you, Mama Bear.
Autumn, My sister, my angel friend, my guide. You are giving me my first niece this year! The girl I’ve been waiting my whole life to shop for is finally coming! Haha! The floral patterns and light pink onesies have taken over my life. You came into my life in the most maternal way. I was crying in Ulta after a breakup smelling his cologne like a beautiful but broken as hell disaster. You came over and asked if there was anything you could help me with. I spotted your beautiful wedding ring and asked you the story. You told me you had just gotten married. When I told you I had just gotten dumped you shared your story of heartbreak and how it lead you to your fairytale. You taught me to view my pain as a gift and a stepping stone to the next part of the journey. You taught me to remember who I am, it’s like you already knew even when I had forgotten. Shortly after Ulta I was on the couch with you and your husband while he made us pretty drinks! Every second after that we’ve been sisters. Your mother is one of my favorite women in the world. You will be an amazing mother. Your little girl has been waiting for you your whole life because trust me, you’ve been a mama bear for a long time now to so many of us girls. This is it. This is what we’ve always wanted. This is your daughter, your “where the wild things are” nursery, your chance to continue to change the world through the women who are better because of you. I honor you today and cannot wait to hold our sweet little “mini rose”. She is already perfect.
April, My Miss WCU sister. Your journey towards motherhood has been long, painful, devastating, and extraordinary all at once. I’ve watch your strength shine as God carried you to this moment. We don’t get to talk often but you have always radiated the love of a mother for me. You taught me how to be fierce, bold, honest, and captivating. You captivate every audience and you lead with such power and grace. Your daughter is going to have a beautiful love with a badass mommy! I am excited for her to know you! You’ve been such a beacon of hope and faith for so many women wanting to be mothers. Thank you for being you for so many of us. I hope I get to meet your princess and tell her how cool her mom is even though she’ll already know. I love you! Thank you for being one of my favorite role models. Happy Happy Mother’s Day! It feels like such a celebration saying that to you! The angels are partying up there.
Cassie, Happy Mother’s Day! You are everything.Sister/best friend/hero At 26 you are a lawyer, mother, leader in the church, faithful daughter, perfect teammate to Hassani, and inspiring woman of Christ who is a lighthouse to everyone you meet. For the past almost 5 years, Cameron has blessed my life with more joy than I ever knew “Auntie Em” would bring. Thank you for raising him with such intention, obedience to Our Father, faith, unconditional love, and compassion. He is the most loving and gifted little boy who shines all of the best qualities of his mommy and daddy. From that day you told me you were pregnant in the college dorms to now, you have proven God’s faithfulness every step of the way. Your humility is amazing, your grace is life-giving, and your heart is so full of heaven. I’m celebrating you everyday but especially today I celebrate the mother that you are now and will be again and again to so many people the Lord calls you to lead.
Motherhood takes many different routes into our lives: unexpectedly, traumatically, after an eternity of trying, after the first time, after years and years of searching, after finding your life partner, after the perfect miracle of adoption, after a beautiful ceremony, or exactly when you planned it. However it happens, It changes the world. It reintroduces you to the world as someone who has immeasurable strength, bravery, courage, beauty, and power. You are honored today as women who bring heaven down to earth with your love. Happy Mother’s Day, all (even the FUR MAMAS like me #WhitneyHoustonTheKitty)
