The Joy and Hurt They Had to Endure...

I know Mothers Day is over but I have not quite moved on... Being an adoptive mom creates an entirely different definition to the word mom. I have been thinking about it a lot. What does the word Mom mean to me? What will it mean to my kids?

This is what Mom means to me: 

Patience, unconditional love, always, forever, listener, woman, honor, protector, guardian, understanding, giving, kindness, beauty, grace, and mercy

I make a choice every day to be a Mother. I choose to put three little ones happiness and well-being ahead of my own. The joy, devotion, and sacrifice that I have given and will continue to give to my children is something I never thought I had in me. When each of my babies arrived I made the lifelong commitment of selflessness.

Being a mom is not an easy task for me. I struggle daily with making the right decisions. I have learned that it is o.k. to ask for help. We have a special person who helps us all maneuver through our daily challenges that raising three different personalities brings to the plate. I am hopefully a better mom because I have been able to ask for help, and hopefully my children will recognize that. Hopefully it will help them see that they too can always ask for help.

I was raised to be strong and independent, and I think most people who know me would say that my mom and dad did a great job. They for sure did, but the downside of being strong and independent is the feeling of always having the weight of the world on your shoulders. It has taken me a long time to realize that I do not have to do everything myself and that I can ask for help. If you think you can be a great mommy without the help of others you are fooling yourself.

I do not know what the word Mom will mean to my children. Hopefully it will have the same meaning for them as it does for me. They will of course struggle with the concept of a Biological Mom and an Adoptive Mom. I hope they will see the beauty in both. Because if it were not for their Biological Mom they would not be able to call me Mom. I will never play down the role of their Biological Moms, the Joy and Hurt they had to endure in such a short period of time is quite a lot for any given person. These women (Moms) will have a special place in my heart, as I also hope they do in my children's hearts.

So as this Mothers Day has come and gone, I realize that I am so appreciative for all Moms out there who have struggled. I am so very thankful that this Momma has an incredibly strong husband that keeps her going...