I learned to embrace motherhood, rather than fight against it

I’ll never forget how strange it was to start my life as a stay-at-home mom. I went from being a full-time college student, working, and constantly on the go…to a completely opposite pace of life. I stayed home all day with a baby. No one was grading or evaluating me. No one expected anything from me. A paycheck wasn’t involved. No one cared if I had been up all night or if I stayed in my pajamas all day. Suddenly, I was invisible to the outside world (or so it felt). It was WEIRD for me. I had a hard time finding a new rhythm of life. Taking care of a newborn was far more challenging than I ever imagined. I loved my baby, yet I struggled with my new role as a mom.

My thoughts continually went back and forth from my old life to my new life. I knew I wanted so badly to be a mother, but I was having a hard time accepting all of the challenges and changes. Everything was different than before—my body, my thoughts, my schedule, my purpose. Even though I understood how important motherhood was, and I knew it was my obligation to rear my child in the best way possible—I still found myself wishing it was easier. I wanted to be able to enjoy the blessings of motherhood without all of the “hard stuff.”

Soon enough, I recognized my need to end the battle in my head. No more wanting motherhood to be easier. No more wishing it was different. Instead, it was to time accept and embrace motherhood for what it was—a sacred calling that the Lord needed me to fulfill. 

Gordon B. Hinckley taught, 

Mom Life: It's not about the next bite

The other day my cute 18-month-old daughter wanted a taste of my fudge Popsicle. I smiled and let her have a little bite. She loved it and couldn’t wait for the next bite. I gave her another bite and instantly she was begging for another (even though she still had a huge mouthful of Popsicle pushing out of her chubby cheeks). Rather than enjoying what was in her mouth, her focus was already on the next bite.😊 Of course it made me laugh, but it also made me think for a moment. How often do we, as adults, do the same thing—with our lives? Do we look ahead, without appreciating today? Are we constantly focusing on the “next bite”? Does the “current bite” seem too bland to notice?

It’s common for us as mothers to have the mindset of “I can’t wait until…” or “things will be so much better when…” (I’m guilty of using both those phrases more than I want to admit!). Days (and nights) can be super hard and super long. It’s easy to yearn for something better without noticing the good that is already there. Yes, it is wonderful to set goals and be excited about the future, but in the mean time, we can’t lose sight of the blessings currently surrounding us, here and now. There are opportunities, blessings, and moments to experience, this very day, and ours is the opportunity to recognize, taste, and savor them.

I love this powerful message from Marvin J. Ashton,

Changing My Prayers Changed My Motherhood

Years ago, my son was struggling in nursery at church. He would scream and cry almost the whole time. Both my husband and I were serving in callings that didn’t allow for us to take him out. I was so confused on how to best help him. So many people told me different things to do, but everything seemed to backfire. Every day I prayed, “Please help my boy in nursery. Please help him to stop crying and to feel more comfortable.” I prayed and prayed, but my son continued to struggle.

Poem for Mothers: The Water is Rising

The Water is Rising

Kisses, giggles, muddy toes

Connection of hearts and spirit

The water is rising, my loves

Let us drink it all in together

Pain, anxiety, endless hours

Feeling strained in every direction

The water is rising, I fear

I’m struggling to stay afloat

Capable, enabled, peacefully secure

Rain brings about my flower

The water is rising, I sing

Because of it I am stronger

Sacrifice, fulfillment, divine purpose

My role is so clear to me

The water is rising, I dive in

The immersion transforms my soul

Chaos, love, real happiness

We are such a beautiful mess

The water is rising, I pause

I need to sip, and savor

Growth, change, tremendous development

They aren’t so little anymore

The water is rising, I groan

Their time with me is passing

Faith, joy, humble tears

Oh Lord, I am most grateful

The water is rising, for me

Yes, my cup is spilling over

Cuddles, games, roasting s’mores

Little arms squeezed ‘round my neck

The water is rising, I embrace

Divinity surrounds these moments

Marriage, family, eternal blessings

His intentional plan is perfect

The water is rising, I ponder

It will ever lead me to Him

----by Erica Mears

We Need Each Other

The day after my 29^th birthday, I went to run down the stairs, but I lost my footing on the second stair—causing me to slip backwards. Instinctively, I reached my hands out for anything to grab on to and catch myself, but there was nothing but air. Before I knew it, it felt like someone swung a bat at the base of my skull. I blacked out for a second, and thought I was going to throw up. A consuming white noise rung in my head for several minutes. I laid there and thought, did that really just happen?  My head, neck, spine, and tailbone were throbbing with pain, and to make matters worse, my husband was out of town on a business trip.

But life must go on, right? I still had to be a mom and meet the demands of my day. In my mind, I had no other choice but to try to ignore the pain and continue on as normally as I could. I took my daughter to gymnastics, with her three siblings in tow. I can do hard things!  I’ll be fine. I tried to be mentally tough, even though with each passing minute I felt weaker and weaker. As the day continued, I was struggling more than I knew how to respond to. My head was spinning and my brain was in a fog.

Am I an Intentional Mother?

A few weeks ago, I watched the broadcast announcing the new First Presidency for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I listened to President Russell M. Nelson speak, and he said something that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. He used the phrase “righteous, intentional parenting." When he said this, I felt a direct prompting that the word intentional matters beyond understanding—specifically for mothers. I knew I needed to study and ponder what it meant.

According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of intentional is, “done on purpose; deliberate.” With this definition in mind, I’ve asked myself some soul-searching questions. Am I deliberate in the choices I make each day as a mom? Are my actions as a mother done with purpose? Am I a righteous, intentional mother?

If I’m being honest, my answer to all of these questions is sometimes I am, but sometimes I am not. There are times when I am passive or distracted rather than intentional. There are times when I lose sight of my main purpose in motherhood. I’m guessing many fellow mommas feel the same way! There are days that feel numb and never-ending, we seem to get trapped in time-wasting activities, and our motto is to merely survive each day. Sadly, this is exactly what Satan wants for us. 

Boyd. K Packer warns,