A Week of Gratitude, Day 2: Babies!

Taking the WHOLE week off to spend time with my amazing family. Am auto-posting a series titled "A Week of Gratitude" while we're off doing cool stuff like baking, digging out the Christmas decorations, jumping in piles of leaves, making final visits to the playground before the weather gets too cold, visiting with the relatives, taking looooong drives all in one vehicle, singing songs loudly, and anything else we can think of. Be back in a few days! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. This year, let's be glad of all we have...

A Week of Gratitude, Day 2: Babies!

So, since I took the risk of taking a load of flak for saying my husband has had a greater influence over who I am and who I've become than my children, I must must must mention how thankful I am for my little ones.

There are three of them, each so different, so themselves, and so much like me in their own ways.  I am reminded of all my shortcomings on a daily basis, and taught humility in ways I never imagined possible.  Some days I am burdened by how huge the task is before us, and others I am brought to tears by how grateful I am to have been chosen as their mother.

Our eldest, just like me in good ways and in bad.

Our middle, so lively and exhausting, so able to bring me to my limits--both of joy and frustration.

Our little bitty one, who by asking for such simple things--food, rest, comfort--reminds me that none of us ever get our fill of being held and nurtured.  These are my teachers and mentors, more so than even the adults in our lives.  

They are the honest mirror to my actions, to whom I cannot lie and about whom I must be truthful with myself.

I am so deeply, profoundly grateful for how they've each changed me, but even more than that, for how they will keep on changing me, every day, for all our days.

It rocks to be Mommy, where even the bad days are good.