A Mom for Mother's Day

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. 

What makes a mom?  What sets a woman apart from all the other women to be entitled to a day of her own?  Is popping out a child a reason to celebrate?  Is giving a child a roof, clothes, food and an education enough to be called mom?  Does a woman have to follow a certain set of child raising rules (which, if you have a copy, can you please send it to me?) in order to be given the title of Mom? 

I'm wondering this today, because honestly I wonder what my kids think of me.  I was watching the news today and listening to those cute 5 and 6 year old kids they find answer the question "What is your Mom to you?", and it made me wonder...and hope...and fear, just a little what the answers of my children would be like. 

All the time you see commercials, or blogs, or YouTube videos about moms and how hard their job is or all the things they put up with or all the work and support they give to their children.  Really and truly, those little pieces of media make us sound like a super hero in disguise!  Man, I want my cape!

However, I know that every day I have to make choices.  I have to choose whether to clean my house or dance with my daughters.  I have to choose to work on math problems or practice batting with my son.  I have to choose to read a book for myself, or read a book to my youngest.  I know I have to choose patience (again) or to loose my cool.  I have to choose to learn a new way to help my daughter learn Biblical concepts or just get frustrated that she can't get it the way I'm teaching it to everyone.

I know I have to choose to SHOW love and not just say love.  I know that I don't always make the right choice.

I think the mom who is worth celebrating, is the mom who messes up.  The mom we give thanks for is the mom who got up that morning and said "I'm going to try again".  The moms who never give up, who never stop learning, who make the choices that are hard and heartbreaking and not always right in the eyes of everyone else.

I love my mom.  I look back and know that every day she made the decision to not give up on me.  Every day she made a choice to try again...no matter how badly I frustrated, annoyed, irritated, or frightened her.  Every day she got up and told herself that she loved me and I was worth the fight. 

I know this now because I have three kids of my own, and because I have made mistakes from day one.  I know this now because I have had to make some of the same decisions.  I was not the easiest of kids...and neither are my kids!  I guess that means, in reality, no kid is easy.  I don't think they are supposed to be easy. 

So, what makes a mom worth celebrating?  Do you worry if you are worthy?  Well, if you are one of those moms who is worried about if she's doing it right...if she's raising good human beings...if she's not warping the minds of her children...then I'm pretty sure you are worthy.  Relax, momma.  Enjoy your day...however it plays out.  :)