Thoughts on Motherhood {Part One}

Honestly, I couldn't wait to be a mother. Having children was something my husband and I talked about often when we were engaged. In the first years of our marriage, while completing our degrees, the topic of children came up regularly. The thoughts were even there when we purchased our first household items. For instance, when we bought our dining table we opted for an oval (no corners) large and expandable wood table to accommodate a growing family, many celebrations and numerous board game nights. A great investment! The white seats however...

Our table.

I think it's a wonderful thing to anticipate motherhood. But not only did I anticipate, I romanticized it! Sure, I figured that there would challenges but I was and still am surprised by how challenging it can be at times.

Cherries by Frederick Leighton

Motherhood stretches you. Motherhood can bring out the best and the worst in most of us. It is so easy to be loving, playful and patient when your feeling well rested, healthy and alert. On the other hand, sludging through the day feeling fatigued, sick or overwhelmed magnifies our insecurities and our struggles making us do things we often regret.

Motherhood is an ever changing experience. In my relatively short stint as a mother I've noticed that motherhood has many phases. These phases colour our experience of motherhood. Sometimes these phases cast dark shadows over motherhood, like the sickness of a child. Other times these phases bring brightness and cheer, like the birth of new babe or the celebration of a birthday or milestone. Some phases seem to never end! These phases make me think of Ecclesiates 3:4: there is "a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance". Sometimes all these times are part of my day.

Motherhood by Walter Langley

Motherhood is a blessing. Children are wonderful gifts. It amazes me how much children teach us. They teach us to rediscover the world and to love in a way that is real. "Love to be real, it must cost—it must hurt—it must empty us of self"- Mother Teresa.

More thoughts on motherhood coming soon. Feel free to post your thoughts on motherhood below.