The other day someone sent me an email about the emotions of a mother. These are emotions that only mothers can relate to....as they see their newborn for the first time and watch him/her grow and entwine himself/herself around her heartstrings. As that tiny, helpless baby grows into a toddler and a schoolchild, then enters the age of independance, adds a spouse to your family unit, produces offspring who also entwine themselves around her heart. It is all a beautiful - and sometimes stretching - experience! As I went down the list of emotions mentioned, it made me think of my own emotional roller coaster of love for you all!
I would never have known these emotions if I had never had children - I am so glad for each one of you and your families. You have all enriched our lives immensely through the emotions of parenthood:
1) JOY. How well I remember the joy I felt that morning when you were born, Cheryl, after going through a rough night of hard contractions. They were all forgotten when I held you in my arms, our first baby. My heart was filled with such joy. And the experience was the same with each one of you. When you were born, Debbi, in that Rutland hospital and handed to me by my wonderful midwife, you looked so serene after all you had gone through and again I was filled with joy. Elin, you arrived a little faster and Grandma Kennedy and Dad were right there when you were born, a beautiful baby girl - what joy! After three sisters, you were born, John, all boy, and delighted to be in the world. You brought joy with you into our world ... and you still do! And, Mark, from your birth you have always brought joy into our lives and the lives of other people.
The joy has continued through the spouses with whom you have enriched our lives and the beautiful grandchildren you produced.....and the children your children are now producing. Wow, how fortunate we are!!
LOVE. With each of you, it was LOVE at first sight for us. We loved to cuddle you and nurse you and watch for your first smile and be amazed at your developing personalities - each so different. Our love has grown for you through the years and has extended to your spouses and your children. Our love for our children helps us to appreciate much more our Lord's great love for us!
WARMTH. I still get a WARM, fuzzy feeling when I see you or hear your voice or receive a letter. There is a family emotional warmth that we have which outshines even the warmth we have when we are with friends who are close to us. It warms our hearts to see how close you are to each other and to us.
SATISFACTION. I have such deep SATISFACTION in being a mother and a grandmother and now a great grandmother. What better thing could I accomplish than to do all possible for Dad and me to bring you up in the love and admonition of our Lord. None of you has even been a disappointment to us. Your love for us is so precious. I love to look at your pictures on our walls and on our coffee table and I have great satisfaction in being your mother.
HEARTACHES. It would be polyanna-ish to say that we have never had any heartaches, that everything is always rosy. Our hearts ache for and with you when you have gone through difficult times in your lives. Your losses are our losses too. When some of you have been in danger or misunderstood or going through hard places (whether physically, emotionally or spiritually), this does make our hearts ache for you. That is part of being parents. Your hurts are our hurts too.
WONDERMENT. As we follow your lives from afar right now, I am filled with wonderment at how God leads you and what terrific people you are! I am rightfully proud of all of you and it is always a wonder to me that you belong to us! Grown children following God - what better thing can a parent ask? It reminds me of a favorite verse of mine: "Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure." Psalm 16:5. Thanks to each one of you - what a blessed mother am I!!
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