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| {beginner beans original} |
Daniel and I just watched New Year's Eve. Overall not my favorite movie, but one part, I was rather surprised, almost brought me to tears. In one story, the daughter ran away so that she could meet her friends at Times Square for the ball drop (meanwhile, her mom was looking for her). After spending the night trying to find the boy she planned to meet there, she arrived just in time to see him kissing another girl at midnight. She is in disbelief and turns to run and sob her broken heart, and does so just in time to land straight in her mother's arms who of course envelopes her in a hug and with the comfort only a mother can give.
What an awesome picture of motherhood. Knowing the balance between discipline and friendship. Scolding and comforting. Teaching and learning. Letting go and holding on.
Mothers don't get every moment right and rarely hold the perfect balance. But sometimes, the stars align and we're exactly where our children need us to be doing exactly what they need us to do. Other times we fail and we miss the point and we disappoint our child (because, thankfully, we rarely disappoint everyone at once). But keeping the balance is all about moving on. Knowing that maybe not the next time or the next, but eventually we will once again be exactly where our children need us to be doing exactly what they need us to do.
Here's to those beautiful, tear-jerking moments of motherhood, and every moment in between.
And here's to my mom who taught me this firsthand!
Your calmness on trips to the ER with a hole in my head or a board nailed to my foot. Your patience all the times Trista and I laughed so much that she had an asthma attack, or fought so intensely about something as petty as a shirt. Your selflessness when you shared the middle of your sandwich with me (which is, of course, the best part). Your encouragement when my teenage world fell apart through break-ups. Your faith as you let your young daughter go away to academy and then all the way to Mongolia. Your perseverance as you maintained a clean (and frequently rearranged) home, caring for four kids, and running a business or two.
For any times that you felt like you failed us or wondered if we'd turn out okay, I thank you especially for turning to God for the answers and giving us to Him.
I love you, Mom! Happy Mother's Day!
