Mama

For 19 1/2 years, I have had the title of "Mama."

"Mom," "Mommy," "Maaaa," have also been mentioned in that time.

Jackson, Braxton, Kaydon and Colton have all called me by that title for my entire adult life.

It's the greatest honor to have that name.

I always knew I'd be a mom.

It was all I ever wanted in life.

I wanted to have kids.

I wanted to be married and have a big, happy family.

I wanted to be the very best mama that ever walked this planet.

I had dreams of going to rest homes weekly, where we would sing to the lonely people and make crafts.

I wanted to be PTA President and Room Mother in all of my boys' classes.

I wanted to make cookies or brownies or truffles each day for my kids to snack on after school.

I wanted to have lots of animals for them to teach and train and love.

I wanted to have a white picket fence and a big, wrap-around porch.

In the end, I got my wish of being a mama.

And I have been so blessed to be called mama by these four warriors.

No wrap-around porch.

Only one dog.

Only a couple of visits to rest homes, with zero singing.

Cookies and brownies and cake pops on the weekends.

No PTA President or Room Mother.

Instead, WORKING mother.

Single mother.

Always working more than one job.

Singing in the car, rather than rest homes.

Doing everything in my power just to make it to school meetings and appointments... with no chance of being there as room mother, or even volunteer.

Making sure my children know the value of service and teaching them to shovel walks and help with yards and hold doors open and smile and ask people how they are... making sure that we give when we can because we have been helped so much.

Teaching my children work ethic and the lack of entitlement... rather than doing it all for them before they get home from school.

Raising independent, kind and loyal children.

Laughing at dumb jokes and silly movies.

Hiking in mountains.

Eating snow cones and ice cream.

Sitting through hundreds of doctor appointments.

Writing love notes to one another.

Crying with one another for hours on end.

Loving one another.

That is me as a mama.

And, I'm so blessed.

I have had a village, no doubt.

My children are loved by their grandmothers: Nana, Grandma, Grandma Jayne, Great Grandma Nef and Great Grandma Robb, Grandma Sue and Grandma Tina

My children are loved by their aunties: Aunt Carrie, Aunt Tif, Auntie T

My children are loved by women who love me: LaLa, KayKay, Becky Beck and countless others.

My children have had strong, brave, loving women in their lives who have loved them like their own. Without those women, I would have failed.

Happy Mother's Day to all WOMEN.

Mothers, Grandmothers, Angel Mothers, Aunties, Neighbors, Teachers, Nurses, Bus Drivers, Single Mothers, Divorced Mothers, Adoptive Mothers, Mothers who lovingly placed their babies with mothers, Bonus Mothers... 

You are seen. You are heard. You are loved.