Mother's Day

Mother's Day was wonderful, I felt so celebrated!

The one day where I don't have to lift my finger, and then at the stroke of 12 it's back to the duties of being a mom :)

But that's why we're celebrated, for all the hard work, the 24 hours, 7 days a week, full time job of motherhood, where we never get to "clock out."

I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Jonathon had his first ever performance for his Mother's Day program at preschool.

You bet I had my video camera rolling, while snapping pictures at the same time!

I was teary eyed the whole time, I know, laugh now, but I was so proud to be his mom.

And I couldn't believe that my little baby, my first born chunky little 8 pounder was now a four year old, almost five year old boy, singing and memorizing his lines for his school program!

Life goes by so fast! I want it to slow down!

Jonathon was the adorable little pig during his performance of "Old McDonald had a Farm."

Inside I was laughing so hard. He is the best snorter in town!

They performed a few dancing numbers, he LOVES to dance! This boy is a performer.

 I loved it.

At the end of all their songs and dancing, they sang a Mother's Day song, Jonathon said his line of "thank you all for coming, we hope you had fun" and then they brought us our gifts they made. A potted sweat pea plant that they painted and yummy candies too.

Jonathon's picture of me and him :) He's getting better at writing his long name too.

This little guy and his smile lit up my Mother's Day on Sunday.

Sunday morning I woke up to Jonathon being the first to wish me a Happy Mother's Day. He came in our room at 7:30 am, still sleepy, and it was the first thing he said. I pulled him in bed with me and kissed him bunches. I don't know what I would ever do without this boy. He's so sweet and smart and I just feel so lucky to be his mother because he's going to be an amazing man one day, as are my other boys!

Jake asked what I wanted for Mother's Day breakfast and I told him crepes.

I was locked in my room and heard someone talking downstairs.

When Jonathon came in my room to check on me, I said, who's daddy talking to down there?

Jonathon said, daddy's watching a cooking show on how to make your breakfast.

I laughed for a while after that, it was awesome.

Turns out Jake's favorite video was this 80 year old guy on youtube that taught how to make crepes the best. haha

I admire my husband for doing that, and the crepes turned out perfect! yum! Caleb ate more than any of us!

The flowers and cards from the boys were so sweet.

Jake and I both taught lessons at church so the rest of the day was spent preparing for those.

We had a wonderful day at church.

After church Jake made a tri-tip for dinner and surprised me with cheesecake for dessert, along with the beginning of a website he is creating for Ryan's Closet!

On Ryan's birthday we have donated preemie clothing, blankets and hats to the NICU in Seattle where Ryan was born and to a NICU in desperate need in Uganda, Africa. We call it Ryan's Closet.

Having a website will help immensely in our goals for what we have in mind to expand this! yay!

I love my boys, my handsome handsome boys.

It's hard to believe I've been a mom for five years!

Motherhood is the toughest job in the world, I never thought it would be what it really is.

I never thought I would become a mom as young as I was at almost 21 years old.

Mothering has showed me my true self, and I'm grateful for that.

Motherhood is the noblest calling.

I laughed at this quote from a movie about being a mother, basically saying that it can be hard, hard, hard, and then you have this little magical moment out of the blue that makes all the hard stuff worth it.

I miss Ryan very much on Mother's Day.

It's so sad to me because there should be another boy in the picture above, right in the middle of them.

There should be another little boy sitting in that empty chair at the table for breakfast eating crepes with us.

So although it was a perfect day, I had an ache in my heart for Ryan.

I always will, every Mother's Day.

But for every ache there's an equal measure of gratitude and awe, for he's mine forever, and I'm so lucky to be his mom. 

Throughout my life I will continue to find ways to mother him, in honoring him and living my life in a way that he will be proud of me, as with my other boys. I'm not perfect though and have much to learn each year that I'm a mom.

Happy Mother's Day to all women who nurture and love those little ones around her, for they are the hope of the future!

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Thoughts towards my own mother:

She is what I want to be when I grow up :)

Her example of unconditional love, courage, hope and strength help me everyday as a mother.

She has been the light in my life my entire life.

I'm so lucky to have the best mom in the world

and hopefully soon we will be spending every Mother's day together!