Mother's Day

This year Audrey and I went home to spend some time with my Momma the Thursday before Mother's Day. My sister came up that Wednesday, we rode back home with her Thursday and Clay came to stay the weekend with us and to pick us up that Saturday. Saturday night was our nieces Tumbling recital and he had to make sure he was down there to see that!



Before I became a Mother I didn't realize what all went into being a mom. I've always known about the sacrifices that my parents have both made for me but I didn't realize the extent that they would go for me. I mean, I know they love me and it is an unconditional love but I didn't realize what that unconditional, all-sacrificing love was until I had Audrey. My momma has always told me that it didn't matter what I did, or said or how I acted, or how disapointed she may be, she would always love me. I get it now. I finally understand.



It is hard for me to write down and describe the feelings that a mother has for her child. I can't begin to describe it. Not just a mother, a parent. I know Clay has the same feelings for Audrey as I do. It is a true, unconditonal, unwavering love for another human being. I had no clue that I was even capable of feeling these emotions before I had Audrey. No clue. I thought I loved people, and I do love them, but nothing compares to the love I have for Audrey.



My brother-in-law, Shad, was trying to describe this love to us once. He used an analogy about a train and his wife and son and who he would jump in front of the train for... blah, blah.. all that wasn't the best analogy and we have had many laughs over how he said what he said but now Clay and I understand much better what he meant. During the same conversation, he brought up God's love for us. He pointed out that He gave up His only Son so that we could have eternal life. How AMAZING is that?? His ONLY son?!? What a love! Could you do what He did? It puts the sacrifice He made for us into perspective.

People used to ask me when I was going to have children. My response usually was that I was a tad bit too selfish to have children just yet. I typically said that to get people to leave me alone about it. What I didn't realize (and what my momma has been saying for 30 years) was that the moment I laid eyes on Audrey-- thoughts of myself and my selfish desires were completely gone. From that point on, Audrey was put before myself. Her needs, her desires, her-- all comes before me. It is not a conscientious decision-- it just happens. My momma has modeled this unselfishness for me for 30 years now. I hope I can be just half as good a mom to Audrey as my mom is to me.

So, for me, Mother's Day was extra special this year.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).