Mother's Day 2013

My 4 guys were all soooo sweet to me this Mother's Day!  They kept surprising me throughout the day with acts of kindness.  It was one of my favorite days ever.  :)

I love being a mom and feel passionately about investing in my kids.  But... mothering is so much harder than I ever dreamed it would be.  Most nights I lay in bed and recount all of the times that I blew it throughout the day.  "Man, I could have handled that better..."  "Why didn't I do this instead of that?"  It's a humbling job to nurture little souls, isn't it?

At the end of the day, being a mother to these three boys is a calling.  They are precious gifts that the Lord has given me to refine me and to teach me more about Himself.  When they are hurting and I want nothing more than to comfort them, I know that my Father feels that same feeling when my heart is hurting, only infinitely stronger.  When they disappoint me by behavior that I know that they have been taught is wrong, I know that my Father is infinitely more devastated by my own sin.  When I feel joy because they obey simply out of love with expectations of nothing in return, I know that my Father is infinitely more joyful when I obey Him with pure motives.  Mothering these three has taught more about Christ than I ever could have imagined.  Even when it is really, really, really hard, I am grateful that these three are mine.

On Mother's Day morning, I woke up to breakfast in bed from my Clayton.  He brought me a plate of cheese toast, a banana, and a yogurt drink.  All on his own - Wade wasn't up yet either.  It was the best cheese toast that I have ever had in my life.  ;)

We had just finished a poetry unit in school.  Clayton had written me a really thoughtful acrostic poem.  So sweet!

 Drew had picked out a card and written his name and "Mom" on the envelope.  Darling boy.

We went to church, which is always a tremendous blessing.  I love my church so much.

 I could never tire of those toddler hands grabbing my face and holding on tight for an extra long smooch.  ;)

The boys gave me flowers and the sweetest handmade gifts (better than anything that money could buy!). 

Clayton had asked for a break while we were working on schoolwork earlier in the week.  He hinted at the fact that he was working on a gift.  Y'all, he wrote the sweetest poem for me!  Wade said that he was so proud when he brought it to show him.  He asked Wade to help him type it up and frame it.  I was so moved when I read it - straight from his little heart.

As much as I love the framed version, the original is even better.  I will keep it for all eternity, you can rest assured of that.  (My favorite part is "Some times she is stern, but that's because she is helping you learn."  Me, stern???  Never.  Ha!  Priceless.)

Drew made a sweet hand print canvas at preschool.   Hand print art is my favey fav.

The questionaire on the back is hilarious!  "The best thing she cooks is: a cherry pop tart."  Oh my word - I laughed til I cried!

To top it all off, my guys bought me two BoyMom tee shirts, a necklace with the boys' initials, and 6 rose bushes.  Eeek!  I was so excited!  Wade and Clayton worked hard to plant my "rose garden" along the side of the house.  I love the thought of those bushes growing and providing years of beauty.

Days like this are important reminders that all of the tough parts of motherhood are totally worth it.  :)