Yesterday I had a great Mother's Day. Elle and Gwen each made me the sweetest little cards. Elle spent a really long time on hers and when I woke up in the morning it was on our kitchen island. The envelope was in her kindergarten printing and it said "For Momy Love, yor Elle". She then drew an adorable picture of us at the beach together. I loved it. Jon traced Gwen and Lily's hands and had Gwen color it as their gift to me. We went to church and all of the primary children sang songs for all of the moms. So adorable.
We were all dressed up and never got around to taking any pictures yesterday. However, I am almost glad because this morning as Jon was heading out he took this picture of us...the real us. The morning routine of me in my pajamas feeding Lily her breakfast of carrots and rice cereal, Gwen in her bathing suit and favorite pink striped towel getting ready for swimming lessons and Elle in her "cozy clothes" before getting dressed for Kindergarten.
I saw a card a while back in a card shop and loved it. It said on the front, "She designed a life she loved". I have often thought of this card. It rings true to me. I have designed a life that I love. I am living the life that I had envisioned for myself as a little girl. As far back as I can remember I wanted to be a mother. It is so much more difficult than I ever had imagined both physically and emotionally but at the same time it is also much more rewarding than I had ever imagined. And the depth of love that I feel for my 3 little girls I never dreamed even possible. I want my girls to know that they too, through thoughtful decisions in their lives, can design lives that they will love. I by no means have a perfect life nor do I want my girls to believe in perfection but the core things in life that are important to me are intact and that is all that matters.
