Since my wife is the most important mom in my life and since my kids can’t yet write effectively, combined with the fact that the past six months, from my perspective at least, can be be accurately described as tumultuous with a capital “T”, I would like to honor my wife and the mother of my children with these words of affirmation and love.
Regarding the past six months, I could easily piggy-back other descriptive words like crazy, cloudy, confusing, dauntless, desperate, difficult, emotional, exhausting, exhaustive, eventful, heartfelt, heavyweight, humbling, and quite simply unforgettable. In fact, I could write an entire article that focuses on how each of these words have affected our lives recently, but this isn’t just about the daily pains that we endure for months at a time, rather this is about so much more. This is about a mom.
My wife and I have been married for almost 12 years and boy have we been through it! From marital struggles early in our marriage, to getting out of debt, to 3 home moves, to extended periods of time spent living in the Children’s Hospital of Alabama and the associated stress it brings. Add to that learning the more subtle aspects of marriage like selflessness, humility, grace, love, and honesty toward one another, and you’re dealing with a heavy load, but this also isn’t solely about marriage.
This is about a mom who provides grace, direction, shelter, nurturing, trust, inclusion, unconditional love, confidence, thankfulness, time, understanding, patience, and so much more than can even be described in any Earthly language.
Each month the planning calendar begins to fill up with hospital visits, doctor visits, and therapy visits which almost always, at some point during the visit, results in a meltdown, being spit in the face, bitten, hit, kicked, pinched, and aggressively verbalized to. The pressure rises. The heat is on. Relaxing simply is not an option. Sometimes lunch isn’t even an option, yet with desire and determination in addition to peace, love, patience, and comforting, this mom makes it work.
Back at the ranch (literally we live in a Ranch style home), there are two more kids eagerly awaiting her and they expect to receive all the same things that the other child has already exhausted. There simply is nothing left in the tank yet somehow, some way she blasts through. She digs deep, and like a gazelle who out maneuvers the cheetah and stands tall and proud, she overcomes the emotions, the pain, the discomfort, the irritation, the selflessness, and the weight that seek simultaneously to shackle her.
Oh, but there’s more. Don’t forget a husband who depends on her nearly as much as her kids do. Sure he’s not a child, but his emotional, mental, physical and most importantly spiritual needs rely on her in a way that carries a childlike dependence. He’s also constantly attacked by life’s pressures and isn’t always mentally superb. He leans on her with the weight of 10 elephants, but she’s unscathed.
Respite is infrequent and in the true spirit of its meaning, too short. Amid a proverbial war zone coupled with internal turmoil, this mom makes it work, even thrives, in a world that would have her look beautiful, while at the same time provide nourishment, fix the car, mow the lawn, buy the groceries, and support all the needs of 4 other human beings, none of which could flourish without her.
I never imagined my kids and I would be so lucky, but God’s grace is undeniable and he gave us a wonderful dose of it in our queen. For all the moms out there, you all have your own unique challenges and they are all equally important, i.e. each mom’s challenges are not comparable to another, so just know that we notice all that you do and we are so very thankful for all of you.
Happy Mother’s Day!
