10 tiny fingers and 10 tiny toes.  I held your tiny little hands so gently in mine.  I was scared and nervous.  I had been waiting for 9 months that seemed would never come to an end.  It wasn’t because I was tired and uncomfortable but because the excitement was more than I could handle.  I was so eager to see your tiny little face…your precious smile…to hold you finally in my arms. I no longer had to imagine how you looked…you were finally here.

The greatest gift God has given me has been the gift of being a mother to three wonderful sons.  Being a mom has never once felt like a sacrifice.  It has always felt like the greatest gift of all.  I can’t express how blessed I am being the mom of my amazing sons.  Here God entrusted me with three amazing little treasures.  God believed in me to be a good mom to my boys.  God chose me to watch over these three precious boys and entrusted me to give them guidance as they grew older.  He taught me patience and understanding.  He taught me to be selfless and put my boys needs before my own.  God taught me what true unconditional love is.  I remember the hours of labor but the pain I felt is nothing compared to the overwhelming joy I felt when I first laid eyes on my precious babies.  All 9 months of watching my body change and the aches and pains that came with pregnancy never compared once to the abundance of happiness I was filled with when I was finally holding my babies in my arms.  Being their mom is such a precious gift that I will always cherish.

When I didn’t feel I knew enough or was ready to be a mom, when I felt scared and worried I wouldn’t be a good mom, God never once left me.  He taught me everything I needed to know.  I didn’t need a mommy manual.  God supplied me with everything I would need.  And during the times I felt like it was just all too much, God strengthened me and showed me how to be brave and strong for my boys.  I still don’t have all the answers to being a mom but I always have God to guide me along the way.  Today I was blessed to celebrate Mother’s Day with both my mom and my mother-in-law.  They have always been there for me helping me along my way as a mom.  I pray that the lessons I learned from them I will one day pass those down to my children the day they prepare to be parents.  There is no greater feeling than when you wake up to silly mornings of kids jumping into your bed followed by a fresh batch of pancakes with syrup.  It’s those early mornings of Sesame Street and Barney with my boys that will last a lifetime with me.  They are no longer little boys running around in pajamas but grown men in suits and ties.  And I still look forward to those silly moments of them jumping in my bed flipping the channel on my TV.

I wish each and every mommy and mommy-to-be a Happy Blessed Mother’s Day!

XOXO…Ileen

Psst…God Loves You

“She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children rise up and call her blessed”  Proverbs 31:27-28