Mother's Day Thoughts to Ponder

Mother's Day is a very emotional day for me.  It always has been, and it always will be!  Kevin and I got married in 1995.  We waited several years before we made the decision to start a family.  Little did we know at the time, God wanted us to wait a while longer.  For many years, I avoided going to church on Mother's Day.  In fact, I would make sure I didn't go anywhere near a church on this day.  I refused to be the one still sitting in the pew when the preacher had all the moms stand so we could honor them on that special day.  It was just too painful to have everyone stare and wonder why I was not standing.  

My thoughts about Mother's Day took a turn in May of 2001.  At the time, I was attending a special support group for women going through infertility called Hannah's Prayer.  This group met at Germantown Baptist, and the leader encouraged us to attend their church as a group on Mother's Day.  During the service, the preacher announced the moment I had been dreading when it was time for all moms to stand up.  I could feel my eyes filling up with tears as I waited for all those special moms to stand all around me.  Then the preacher did something that completely took me by surprise.  He asked all the women who were wanting to be moms to stand.  Our group, which filled an entire pew, stood.  I am sure young girls and women around us were making notes not to ever sit on our pew!  Ha!  Anyway, then the preacher had people around us lay hands on us and pray specifically that we would be moms by the very next Mother's Day.  Talk about the tears flowing!  There was not a dry eye on our entire pew not to mention the entire congregation.  

Well, May of 2002 came and went and I was still not a mom.  If I am being completely honest, I have to say that I was angry with God.  Why would he put me through something so traumatic, have people lay hands on me, and not answer this one little pray I had prayed for so many years?  Well, we serve a might God, and little did I know, I was a mom that Mother's Day of 2002.  You see, my sweet Elia was growing and developing in her birthmom's stomach thousands of miles away in the beautiful country of Guatemala.  Elia was born in October of 2002.  God does answer prayers.  He just chooses to answer them His way and in His time.

The very next Mother's Day was May of 2003.  Elia was 7 months old, and Kevin and I jumped on a plane to meet our sweet Elia for the very first time.  Talk about a special Mother's Day.  I would have to relate it to someone giving birth on that very special day and meeting their newborn for the first time.  The bad thing about this weekend is that we had to leave on Sunday to get back to work on Monday.  That Sunday happened to be Mother's Day.  That was bad planning on our part but it couldn't be helped.  I remember waking up before the sun came up that Sunday morning because I wanted to soak up every last second I could before we had to leave.  I walked over to Elia's crib in the hotel room and she was sound asleep with her cute little bottom sticking up.  Lying next to her in her crib was a card that said the word "Mommy" across the front.  Of course, when I read the card, I could barely see the words for all the tears that were falling from my eyes.  Talk about a bittersweet moment!  How can you have so much happiness that God has finally allowed you to become a mom but so much pain knowing that you have to leave this God given gift in just a few short hours?

The next Mother's Day was May of 2004.  Elia had been home for about 6 months, and we got to celebrate this special day dedicating her at church.  It was extremely special because Elia was the only baby being dedicated that day.  Yes, there were many more tears!  However, this time the tears were pure joy!  Not only were we dedicating this gift from God to the one who gave us this gift, but our other baby girl was also growing in her birthmom's belly in Guatemala.  Little did we know, I was about to be a mom again!

Ever since the Mother's Day when Elia was dedicated, I have new feelings about this day.  Of course, I don't miss church on this day and I proudly stand when the preacher asks all moms to stand.  However, I can't help but continue to feel so many emotions on this day.


What about the children or grown adults who have recently lost their moms?


What about all the other women suffering infertility?


What about the foster moms who take care of orphans but are never recognized as a mom?


What about the birthmoms who made the most unselfish decision to let another woman be mom?


What about the elderly moms who have lost their memory and have no recollection of their own children?


What about the women who have suffered miscarriages?


What about all the orphans who do not have a mommy to tuck them in at night or kiss their skinned knees to make them better?


We cannot let this day come and go and not think about and pray for all women and all the children!!!
Please take a minute or two and pray for all these situations as you remember your own mom on this Mother's Day. 

Here are the two loves of my life that made this journey worth every tear I shed over the years!

Here is a picture of me with Elia when we were in Guatemala.  I love the look of peace and contentment on my face!  It is amazing to me how a mother's love is instant!

This picture was taken at the Memphis airport when Elia finally came home at 13 months old.  You can see the love and emotion between my own mom and me.  I love the look on Elia's face in this picture!  She is not so sure she is ready for this crazy family!

This picture was taken when Ava first came home at 4 months old.  She barely weighed 9 pounds!

This picture was taken when Elia was in 1st grade and her class put on a Mother's Day program at school.

This is Ava in 1st grade when her class also did a Mother's Day program.

These two pictures bring up a lot of emotions.  These were taken at an orphanage in Guatemala.  The first picture is me holding two newborn babies who were just abandoned.  The second picture shows several of the toddlers at the same orphanage.  I cannot help but think of these sweet children who do not have a mommy to love them the way a child deserves and needs to be loved. 

If you are a mom, make sure you hug your children extra tight on this Mother's Day.  If you have a mom, make sure you hug her extra tight on this Mother's Day.  If you want to be a mom or you have recently experience heartache involving your mom, please know that you are not forgotten about on this very special day!  

Happy Mother's Day!!!