Nine years ago I celebrated my first Mother’s Day.
There is no greater joy, no greater honor, no greater privilege than this identity, this life, this great task given to me from above… to be a Mom.
Motherhood is wonderful, hard, overwhelming, maddening, frightening … we hold these little people’s lives in our hands, in our hearts, and in our minds all day, every day. For the rest of our lives. I think about Emma and Lucas while they’re at school, while they’re playing in the park, while they’re out with Rodrigo. I miss them when they’re gone, and then they get home and they go from lovely little dears to annoying little tyrants who drive me crazy in about five minutes. I used to long for them to be just a little bit bigger, and now wish I could hold back the time and not let them grow even a day older, get even an inch bigger.
Today, I miss my own mother, Anita Joan, who tirelessly did her best to raise, nurture, and love each of her daughters. She is in Seattle and it’ll be the first Mother’s Day that I don’t see her in many years. And I miss Rodrigo’s mother, Violeta De La Luz. If I could, I’d sit down with Violeta and ask her a hundred questions about Rodrigo and I’d tell her all about her grandchildren, and share all the small ways they’re like Rodrigo, which is also a reflection of her – of her image left on this earth. She’s not forgotten.
I took this picture last June, at the airport in Canada. My mom and my friend, Katie, drove us up to the Vancouver airport – and my mom did one of the bravest things a mother can do: she said good-bye. She blessed me and let me go into my own life, my own dreams, my own responsibilities that were taking me far away from her, and tearing her grandchildren away.
I’m sure she cried a long time after we got on that plane, but she held her tears in check that evening before my departure and with a gentle emotion-filled embrace, told me to go, and to be brave… It wasn’t the first time she’s had to do this. I left home at eighteen, another sister left home at eighteen. And now she lives in Australia while I live in Chile. We’ve become adept at saying good-bye.
That’s the truth we face – we raise our children with the hope that they will be brave and strong in this world, that they will go and be courageous and do whatever it is they are called to do, even if it means they’ll be far away from me. I don’t raise them for my sake. I’m a steward – but for a time.
I must say, on this Mother’s Day, I know Violeta would be proud to see all her grandchildren, and be amazed at how her sons are strong and brave and good and have gone so far in this world. How they’ve traveled, and made beautiful lives all over the earth.
To be a mother is an honorable occupation and an important one. One of the most important and vital roles a woman can ever be given.
Thank you Emma and Lucas for giving me so much joy.
Much Love,
Tina
What a beautiful tribute to motherhood. Thank you, my beautiful, bright and gifted daughter, who loves her children so well. As God knows, my heart is deeply grateful to Him for the gifts of my three daughters. Just the best!
I’ve shed many tears this year and you have both stood with me. I’m sitting here weeping with joy for the strong legacy you women so carefully and beautifully tend and nurture and pass on. Thank you both.
Thank you both for commenting. As I look back on my year – entailing so many things … one of the constant, tangible measures of God’s grace – was you women in my life.
Thank you.
Many of the things I have learned about being a mom has come from watching you be a great mom. You have taught me to reveal Jesus to my boys. To pray with them. To teach them the depth of the love of Jesus and that they can invite Jesus in to all their circumstances and that they’re not too young to hear His voice. You are right- it is an honourable job. I’m grateful to do it with you as my sister and friend…Happy Mother’s Day…
I too learn from you. About courage, about truth, about the arrow that pierces through all the crap and speaks to the truth of the matter. Thank you. Your boys are blessed to have you.
Happy Mother’s Day Tina! I love how you share your heart on this blog & touch the hears of many others. May you have a wonderful day as you continue to celebrate being a Mom & the legacy of your Mother & Mother in Law.
Thank you Deanne!
I appreciate the encouragement. It’s not easy to put one’s heart out there … but we give what we have. Out of the abundance of the heart … the mouth speaks.
Much love,
Tina
Tears on this side of the world as I read this, too. Indeed, the most honorable of occupations… and you do it with grace and beauty and strength and courage. I admire your mothering. I admire your mother. And I rejoice in the faithfulness of God and of his daughters as you live such a legacy. Happy Mother’s Day, my friend. Love you. xx
That’s far too kind … especially from someone who knows where all my warts are – in mothering! But thank you. Your affirmation means the world to me.