While I didn't tell her this, I was thinking - yep, you are earning your "mama" stripes. See, most anybody can become a mother in 9 months. That's the easy part. The minute you give birth, the term mother applies to you. The title of mama though is earned. Earned through the years as you give of yourself to your children. You earn it when you get up for those midnight feedings. When you get up all night long with a sick child and change the bedsheets yet again from either sickness or wetting the bed. When you get up and check to make sure there are no monsters under the bed or hiding in the closets. When you take the time to read the book again, even when you want to say enough already. When you stop what you are doing because they want to show you their latest new dance routine. And yet again when they have "improved up on it." When you put your book down because they want you to "watch them" just one more time in whatever new they have just learned. When you have to punish your children for wrongdoing because you know they need to learn right from wrong. When you have to say no, because it is in their best interest. When you say yes to going somewhere because their excitement over-rides your tiredness. The list goes on and on and on.
The title of mom does take many years to earn - it is not always easy, but it is always satisfying. Our children are bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. As moms, we fail, we falter, and we disappoint - but I think the one thing we do right is love unconditionally. I have alot of titles - wife, sister, friend...but one of my favorites is mama.
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