Happy Mother's Day

I think my husband set the bar too high; encouraging me to set my expectations even higher.

It was our first year of marriage, and mother's day was going to be that weekend. I was not yet a mother, nor expecting to be anytime soon. But, my husband showed up at my work carrying shopping bags. From those bags, he presented me with three or four pairs of shoes, and told me to choose one. He said it was my mother's day present. Not like I was going to reject a new pair of shoes, so no complaints from me.

That was my first experience with mother's day. I thought to myself, "I'm going to like this mother's day thing..."

A few years ago, he even gave me a plane ticket to Utah to visit a college roommate, who's husband also gave her a plane ticket to Utah for her birthday so we could meet up and eat at our favorite spots, shop, and visit without our kids. Now, that, was a mother's day present.

So, I blame my husband for setting my expectations too high.

I'm just going to admit it; I like/want to be pampered, spoiled, surprised, the whole nine yards for Mother's Day. I know I made it harder for my husband since I informed him before we were even married, that I would prefer not to get flowers on holidays. Or even just because days. They just die, and I hate spending money on something that is only going to last a few days. Bring me a potted plant, or give me the ten bucks or so you'd spend on flowers and let me go shopping. (I know! I should just be grateful that I have a husband that wants to bring me flowers... but, what's wrong with a gift card to TJ Maxx?) That makes me a little bit of a brat, I guess.

Anyway, so this morning as my husband was downstairs making me "breakfast in bed," I was upstairs getting myself and the kids ready for church; trying to get Trevan to put his clothes on, convince Mallary to let me brush her hair, give Jonah a bath, and honestly, getting a little frustrated. John bought me breakfast in the kids room at 8:30 (he got out of bed a little late, and for the record, it was sweet of him, and it was delicious), and I said, "Maybe next year instead of breakfast you could just help me get the kids ready for church." To which he replied, "Maybe I'll do both."

More expectations...

You know what though? I really shouldn't need gifts. Really I don't need them (though still nice), I do not need them. I don't. That's how I feel deep down, I guess my brattiness just raises to the surface. I know this may sound cheesy, but I don't need gifts, or the Mother's Day cards, or the red carnation they gave us at church - just being a mother is the greatest gift.

I think especially having a new baby for Mother's Day makes it extra special. There's just something about our new baby that I can't get enough of. I feel different than I did with my other kids. With Trevan, I was a new mom going through this new experience, and everything was just new and different. With Mallary, I had a bit of the baby blues, and felt a lot of guilt because I wasn't spending 24/7 with Trevan anymore. With Jonah, I feel different... it's hard to describe... contentment? I'm not sure. I'm just full of SO MUCH love. How can it even be possible to love him more now than I did yesterday? Or more than I did an hour ago??? How is it even possible to love three little people like that? But, it is, because that's how I feel. It's like this new little baby has helped me feel motherhood even more deeply.

There is a song by Jenny Jordan Frogley, called, "Sweet Love," which many may find a little cheesy, but I listen to it and get goosebumps because I feel like that in a lot of ways.

You can listen to it HERE. Go the the song list on the right and click on Sweet Love to listen.

So, really, I don't need shoes or an airline ticket (you're thinking, "duh.") to feel honored on mother's day, when I have my Trevan who gave me a clover and wished me Happy Mother's Day on Saturday, or my little Mallary who asks to snuggle with me, or my sweet baby, Jonah, who covers me in spit up. They were my gift today. My sweet, priceless gifts.

And the cherry on top? My little baby smiled at me with his eyes open for the first time today. Now that's a Mother's Day present.

I wonder what he'll come up with next year?

(Uh oh, more expecations...)