A Perfect Mother's Day...

Mother's Day was perfect because of all it's imperfections!  I woke up around 6am to the sound of Annika filling her diaper. :)  Then I came down stairs to my husband on the computer and Irelynn eating cereal.  Natalya and Branson were still asleep.  Brian looked at me and said, "What are you doing up?!  I was going to let you sleep in!"  I stood on the stairs for a moment, soaked it all in, and smiled.  It was already a great day.  

A few minutes later Brian got started on breakfast.  He made me bacon, eggs over easy, hash browns, and extra pulpy orange juice!  (I love pulp.)  Brian had never made eggs over easy before and he did a great job.  He also doesn't like pulp in his orange juice at all - but bought it for me anyway.

Once the kids were awake they cheered, "Happy Mother's Day!" as they bounded down the stairs.  Daddy got them to the table and distributed paper and crayons.  The kids kept telling me not to look as they made Mother's Day cards for me.

They also got out of their backpacks the things they made for me at school.  Branson made me an adorable apron with his hand prints on it.  Natalya wrote the "Top 10 Things I Love About My Mom" book.  And she made us matching necklaces: clay beads that she strung on yarn.  I love homemade gifts from my kids. 

 

After a beautiful morning, it was life back to normal.  We rushed around getting the kids ready for church.  We did hair, brushed teeth, found missing socks, packed the church book bag, snagged a quick lunch and off we went...

It was Sacrament meeting as usual, trying to keep the kids quiet - except for the moment when they hopped off our laps and made their way to the pulpit where all the children sang to their mothers.  In fact, most of the congregation got up to sing!  Our wonderful primary chorister taught the song to all the men in our ward, too.  So when the children got up to sing, so did their daddies, their brothers and their grandpas.  All who were left sitting in the congregation were women.  And as the men and primary children sang together in one great choir of voices, I choked up.  I was reminded of my great worth as a mother.

Primary was busy as usual as we got the children to color pictures for their moms.  And when we came home we didn't slow down - not for a minute!  We picked up the house and fired up the barbecue.  My parents joined us for dinner so we could honor my mother too.  Then it was clean up, pajamas, teeth, potty, scripture, and bed. 

At the end of another exhausting day, I put my feet up on the ottoman, looked at my shoulder where I was slimmed with spit-up, and laughed!  Most people would be grossed out at the sight of spit-up on their clothes.  But that shoulder slime reminded me that I took time to snuggle my baby today. 

Motherhood isn't always picture perfect all the time.  That's part of the beauty of being a parent - and why this particular Mother's Day was so special.  I wouldn't have had it any other way. 

I LOVE being a mom.