Mother's Day Reflection

Today, I celebrated my first Mother's Day. I waited nearly four years to finally be a mother, so I definitely took the time to enjoy the day! My husband and girls made it perfect. Tim was courageous enough to get the girls to finger paint paintings for me, and he got me some kitchen spoons that I just love! After church, I joined in the celebration of motherhood with Tim’s mom and my cousin with a family meal, and I smiled as I watched the kids play.


I took the time to appreciate my girls and my husband today because being a momma isn't just about me. It is also about my daughters - the love we share and the time we spend together. It is also about my husband - our partnership and the love we have that unites us as a solid team in our parenting. But it is also about everyone who made it possible for us to be parents - the adoption team at Children's Hope International, the family and friend support, and the people who worked with our girls in Colombia before we even knew about them.

However, as I enjoyed today, I couldn't help but be reminded of the Ginny from just a year ago. I remember clearly those feelings I had as I went to church on Mother's Day and had to be reminded several times over that I wasn't a mother yet. I remember how we used to leave at the end of the sermon right before they did the prayer for mothers. I remember how annoyed I felt when the church called not only moms down, but caretakers, single girls, and pretty much anyone who had ever looked at a child. I thought, “Do they really think it will really make it easier on women who are aching for a baby in their arms? We all know for whom this prayer is intended. Let’s stop playing games!” I remember the baby showers where I was enormously happy for the soon-to-be moms, but my heart ached to hold a little one of my own. I remember the feelings of despair as everyone around us started families and had one or two children after we started the adoption process, yet we were still waiting.

My heart goes out to adoptive mothers who are still waiting for their child/children, wondering when God will decide it is time for them to meet their little one. I know you have heard it all from everyone - "It will be here before you know it." "It will all be worth it when you see your little one for the first time." or "God's timing is perfect." While all of those sentiments are very VERY true, I know it doesn't make the wait any easier. I will pray that God will give you peace, that He will help you find a way to make your wait one that glorifies Him, and that He will give you reassurance that you are doing the right thing. You are going to make a difference in a young one's life someday!

Now, as a Monday morning quarterback mother, I can see that God’s timing was indeed perfect. Through the experiences we had in those waiting years,He gave us wisdom that we would need as we took on the difficult job of parenting two adopted toddlers. We did our best to celebrate the children who were in our lives, and we learned a lot about parenting as we watched these kiddos and interacted with them over the years. We came to an understanding of what our parenting style would be by watching all of the amazing parents around us.

Everything had to work out just perfectly for these specific girls to be in our home. I realize the many blessings and opportunities he gave us with family, friends, and travel. I am now GRATEFUL for that time because I would not be the mother I am today without it. I would never want to relive that time, but it is over, and I am finally a mother.

So, as a mother, I went to church today. I bristled when the pastor did a mother competition and asked for the newest mom and didn’t include adoptive mothers in that. If he had, I would have won second place! We still walked out before the “mom” prayer because the feelings were too fresh on how that time in church always made me feel in previous years, and I just don’t agree with how it is done. But the difference today? We walked toward the children’s wing and picked up our two amazing children who both grinned and hugged us tight when they were placed in our arms. And Mother’s Day or not, I will celebrate being a mother every day that I spend with them, for they are a gift to me every morning when we reunite over a hug and a kiss.