Happy Mother's Day

As someone who writes about the journey of motherhood, I certainly couldn't let Mother's Day go by without acknowledging it here.

For 31 years, I celebrated my mom (and the other moms in my life). But it wasn't until I became a mom myself that I fully understood the depth and breadth of the celebration.

Your mom is likely the first person in your whole life to hold and kiss you. It's something she will do literally thousands of times in your life. She will kiss boo boos, she will rub your eyes when you're tired, she will hold your hand as you learn to walk and then as you learn to look both ways before you cross the street.

She will spend many sleepless nights feeding you as a baby and waiting up for you as a teenager. Her heart will break when you're sick or hurt, feeling worse sometimes than you do.

She will relearn history and math to help you with your homework, while she teaches herself to be the best parent she can be.

A mother will cry on your wedding day and be endlessly proud of raising you, hoping she's done enough to let you out on your own successfully.

Being a mother is a special thing. It is the hardest job I have ever had. And by far the most rewarding. To every mother reading this, I now completely understand everything you do and how important it is. I wish you the happiest of Mother's Days.