mother's day!

as mother's day quickly approaches, of course i'm reflecting on my own mother, my experiences as a mother and the others i know. while i considered writing about why i love to be a mom, i think this blog pretty much covers that on a regular basis. besides, i'm tired of talking about myself! it's always about me, sheesh. so i'd like to highlight a few moms that i think are really special. these are women that have inspired me in the face of their personal adversities and encouraged my own life as a mom.

the first would be my dear cousin, Lora. approximately five months ago, at what they thought would be a standard 20 week ultrasound, they were faced with some stunning news. first, they were pregnant with their first daughter! second, she had a severe heart defect. they saw specialists and developed a course of action that would include an open heart surgery in her first week of life and two more surgeries down the road. the good news was that her prognosis was very positive and chances were she'd lead a mostly normal life. unfortunately, things did not go as planned. after her first surgery she had complications and is now awaiting a heart transplant. you can read more about her story here. she is now a little over a month old, beautiful in every way, and waiting patiently for her new heart. i can't help but have a heavy heart this mother's day for my dear cousin who's waiting for this miracle to be completed. i cannot begin to imagine what she is feeling and experiencing but i am so in awe of her. her strength and that of her husband has been evident from day one, as has their deep faith in the Lord. i can't wait to hear the testimony of little mya's healing and watch her grow up.



the next mom i really need to honor is my wonderful friend (& small group leader!) edie. edie is the mother of hannah, who i've told you all about in the past. hannah was taken in a car accident a little over a year ago. you can read more about hannah right here what i've learned from edie is to never take a moment for granted. you see, before their lives were forever altered by this accident, edie was already that mom who took nothing for granted. if their kids had a sporting event, they were there. if they had something at school, they were there. nothing was ever put before thier children. i hope they can look back now and have no regrets. they were there for hannah in every way they could be and then some. the other way that edie has really amazed me is in her parenting of her other son since hannah passed. i can't imagine going through what they have, i definitely can't imagine still parenting other children in the process. but over the last year they've never fallen into their grief and neglected their son. they have continued to be there for him, to parent him and to carry on for him in every way possible. i can't really fathom the strength, perseverance or courage it takes to do that. what a powerful example.



lastly, no mother's day post would be complete without talking about my own mom. there is no one in my life who has loved me as unconditionally, as completely, as incredibly as my mother has. through times that i'm sure she wanted to hand in the towel, she's never let me down. she has been an example to me of patience, kindness, courage and love. she is my best friend and i thank the Lord frequently for giving her to me.



Happy Mother's Day!