To all the beautiful women in my life; my mother whose legacy continues to live on in my heart and children's single-dimpled sneaky grin.

To my aunts and cousins who are constant reminders of her love for me.

To my mother in-law who graciously and lovingly tries to love enough for two grandmothers and who has adopted me into her heart as her own.

To my dear friends who are more like sisters and encourage me to be a better mother and wife.

To my clients, who I've had the honor of witnessing become mothers for the first time or who have welcomed their seventh with still the same awe and wonder as their first.

To mothers who held their babies briefly in their wombs or arms, but forever in their hearts.

To the mother who has only seen her baby on the computer screen, adoption binder, or in her dream.

My prayer for you no matter if your baby is still being knitted safely and secretly in your womb, or growing in your heart across the globe, keeping you up at night as an infant or a teenager, through the icky and sticky, the heartaches and disappointments, the terrible twos and the tumultuous teens, the prodigal son (or daughter), or the boomerang kid who can't seem to find his way-
  is that you will feel encouraged, love, joy, support, hope and peace in your heart and in your mind.

Blessings,
Natalia

This morning I heard my three year old jump out of bed this morning to tell her twelve year old sister (who was leaving for school), "Bye Ray!! I love you! Have a great day!" My twelve year old responded in kind.

Now these two usually argue, fuss and fight (with crying in between-usually by me). About everything. They know how to get under each others skin and I'm not sure if the age difference helps or hurts the issue.

Don't get me wrong. I know siblings fight. It's a part of growing up and developing problem solving and relational skills. Still I try to encourage an environment of love and respect for one another. I try to teach them that they are sisters and that they are lucky to have each other. (I imagine that while I am saying this they hear the adult voice in the Charlie Brown cartoons).

Sometimes in the routine of life and in the midst of the bickering between siblings, I want to jump in the car and drive up north leaving my hubby to fend for himself. So when we have moments like this morning, it shows me that maybe, just maybe the words I sow into their life do not fall on stony ground and I feel encouraged.

What moments have you experienced that encouraged you as a mother (whether your baby is 3 months or 43)?

I was nineteen when I had my first child. I wasn’t sure how I would embrace being a mom. She was born on father’s day and when they placed the six pound beautiful creature in my arms, I felt like the weight of the world had been placed on my shoulders. I took the little bundle, which was wrapped so tightly like a gift, brought her close to my chest and began weeping. The nurses and my family thought my extreme emotions were from exhaustion and a rapid drop in hormones. I assure you however, in that moment, reality hit me hard. I was going through a transformation right before their eyes. It felt quite spiritual, as childbirth is, as I clearly remember to this day having one foot in girlhood and the other in the unknown world of motherhood.

I knew that there was no turning back. I was responsible for this precious life I held. At nineteen I didn’t know exactly what that entailed, but I knew; my life was no longer my own, that it wasn’t about just me, and this new role was for a lifetime.

Fast forward nine years later. My new little girl is handed to me. My heart is bursting with love and expectation for the future. I cry but it is a different cry.  I’m older, more mature. I believe that this overwhelming love that poured out for this new little one was prepared by her older sister. My heart became fertile ground as my oldest daughter prepared it for seeds of future children. She taught me how to love until it hurts.

Motherhood changes you. It has and continues to change me. You learn resilience, unconditional love, responsibility, tenderness, patience and selflessness. You are passionate, courageous, determined, graceful, merciful and creative. You never return to the person you were before. Maybe that’s the point.