Being a Mom

Mom and Shelly
Summer of 2004

So hard this time of year not to have my mom nearby to lean on for her motherly advice. So many questions that need answering and so many times I've thought of picking up the phone to speak with her.

Being a mom is some pretty tough stuff. When those babies are little you worry if they're still breathing in the crib, if they are getting enough to eat, and how to soothe them when they're crying. When they are toddlers you worry about when they'll walk, if they'll ever stop having temper tantrums, and if they will start eating more veggies. 

As they enter Kindergarten, you think about them all day without you there to help when they need you. And, as they go through elementary school, moms think about how their children will do making friends, answering questions in class, and what's the right balance for them with sports and free time. 

Middle school challenges include puberty, school dances, and lockers to only name a few. As the years pass by quickly, high school seems daunting with all of the importance of each grade earned and the thoughts of what's next for them academically, athletically, and socially. 

I can only imagine the day that a mom sends her precious little baby who fit perfectly in her arms off to college. The strings loosen and now the tough times are only eased by phone calls in place of snuggle time. And after college, I can say as a daughter, I needed my mother more than ever. 

So, this job of rearing children isn't a part time thing or a stint that lasts for only 18 years. It's a full time, 24/7, non-stop occupation.

Being a mom is tough, but somehow my mother always made it look so easy!