Pandemic Pregnancyনমুনা

Cherish the moments. Since my daughter was born, one quote people have repetitively told me is, “The days are long but the years are short.” This has been so true to a shocking degree! I have days that drag on and feel so miserably exhausting, but when I look at how fast her first year of life is going, I am shocked. When I look at how old my 15 nieces and nephews are and how fast their lives have flown by, or the fact that I have siblings in their 40’s now, it all is so shocking to me. High school feels like yesterday, yet it also feels like a completely different lifetime.

When I first started my breastfeeding journey, it was filled with tears, no sleep, and the maximum amount of frustration I have ever felt in my entire life. If you would have asked me then if I saw myself still breastfeeding 9 months later, my answer would have been, "I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this..." Yet now when I am asked, I say, "As long as I have the supply, I love it!" I know milk doesn't always come in, stressful situations affect supply, not all situations allow for breastfeeding, but I am simply using this as an example of the moments that can sometimes be missed if we focus on the pain and not the gain. Looking back, I see the bond, the love, and the trust that was built between my daughter and me. She is the definition of a "mama's girl" and I would not have it any other way! When I walk into a room, she instantly smiles and acts as if she hasn't seen me in forever, when in reality it was probably only a few minutes. She tackles me and sucks on my cheek (her version of giving kisses) and everything in her world is ok again. These moments are what I live for.

When I was little, I used to sit in my mother's lap all the time. It didn't matter if there was room on the couch or other chairs open; her lap is where I wanted to be. I have photos of me in her lap at 30 years old. My mom told me she hopes I never change and so far, I haven't! It is habits like this that I hope to pass on to my future children as well. It is moments such as my mom telling me to never change that I took to heart and can see years later still being evident in my love language. It was the encouragement from my mother that allows me to give my daughter the same encouragement. It is remembering how exhausted my mom was being a stay-at-home mom of 4 kids, but her always having the energy to pick me up and let me sit in her lap regardless of how big I was.

Today, I want you to tell your mom you love her. If she is in Heaven, make that a prayer. If she is on earth, make that phone call or text message. I know not everyone has a good relationship with their mom. I have had my ups and downs. No one is perfect, situations will always arise, and hurt will inevitably play a role in any relationship. But your mom ultimately chose life, and in today's society, that bears a huge weight. If you aren't comfortable saying, "I love you," say, "Thank you;" baby steps. Practice saying, "I love you" to your littles, say it to your partner, build up to being able to say it to your own parents. Cherish the moments, say, "I love you," pray about showing love, and thank God for the life you were given and the life you are now choosing to give. Treasure life in your heart!