Motherhood, Your Legacy
From kissing boo-boos, to wiping tears, to rocking babies, we know a Mother’s work is never done. From the wee hours of the morning to well past the sun setting, you are serving your family by doing the chores that need to be done, prepping for the next day, and feeding or holding those babies in the night.
You can read all the baby books in preparation for your growing family, but there is nothing quite like experiencing things first hand for yourself to understand the gambit of emotions that accompany motherhood. Not to mention this might be the only career on the planet that is solely learned through on-the-job training!
There are so many little things that need tending, that the never ending to-do lists can often be overwhelming. Sometimes these hidden years can feel lonely and isolating. That's why we believe in the power of community and connection. We need reminding that the hard work is good work. What you do matters. Little ones are looking to you and you are their world. From our own community, @heartsmile2015 reminds us, "Enjoy the MOMENTS! Smell that baby hair, kiss those baby feet, snuggle them as much as you can!" Hug your babies, because babies don't keep.
We know raising the next generation doesn’t happen overnight. It takes small incremental steps and slow growth before we see the fruit of our labor. You correct, you guide, you model your values. Just remember that it is this slow, tiring work that creates amazing humans. Keep up the good work, Mama!
One of the most surprising things about motherhood is how much growth happens to us as moms as well. We learn, we change, we gain new perspectives, we blossom into better versions of ourselves. We asked YOU, our community, how you’ve recognized change and improvement in your own life. You are an impressive bunch! Many have said that you have become more scheduled and organized, while the perfectionists in the group are learning to be flexible and let go more. @hmakesandbakes said, “I’ve learned (and am still learning) to let go of the little things. That it’s okay to use an over abundance of sprinkles on imperfect frosting, that bits of dried glue on a craft project doesn’t make it any less wonderful when it’s made by little hands. It’s a work in progress for the perfectionist in me for sure!”
Children have a way of making us look at the world differently. They keep us in stitches with their cute voices and funny sayings. They can melt your heart with the biggest bear hug. They help us to be kinder to ourselves and more patient with others.
We asked what some favorite memories or parts of this journey have been for you and the responses were overwhelming. Just a few we wanted to share here:
@hazy.pazee- Being loved despite my flaws
@tiaradiz- My favorite moments from motherhood are watching my daughter reach milestones on her own timeline & become overjoyed when she meets new therapy goals.
@stephanienher- The beautiful part of my motherhood journey is knowing God chose and entrusted me to raise my babies well. He is with me on this journey.
From the tears to the laughter, from the disappointments to the triumphs, we treasure all these things in our hearts, don't we? The tricky part sometimes is that there is not a metric of success, no achievement award to win, no accolades to embrace. Instead, it's the quiet delight of small sweet moments, it's the gratitude bubbling over in our hearts, it's the wonder awakening in our children's hearts and minds... and even in our own.
This thing called “motherhood” is not a destination, but rather a journey. We love that each of you has a different story and pilgrimage that made you a mother. No two stories are alike. We know love builds a family which leads to families of all different shapes and sizes. It’s that beautiful mosaic of families that has built this Lily Jade community literally across the globe. The bond we share as mothers allows us to link arms as a community to encourage one another along the way. This mother's day our hats go off to you, Mom! Happy Mother's Day to our phenomenal community!