Organized Dinner: Motherhood

Life is full of stages: infant, toddler, childhood, elementary years, pre-teen, teenager, college. . . For the past ten years I have been in young mother stage. It is my favorite stage. Unfortunately, like any other stage in life I recognize that slowly time marches on and I will reluctantly move to the next stage in life.

I never want to forget how life was at this stage. I feel so overwhelmed with gratitude to have the chance to know what it feels like the first time you feel a baby kick inside your stomach.

I feel so grateful for the chance to touch Heaven on the day a new baby is born.

I love watching the first time a new baby smiles and the chance to cuddle a little infant. I love watching a two year old roll in the grass and pick wild flowers. I love watching a three year old master the ability to ride a bike with training wheels. I am grateful for the chance to cry as a child starts the first day of school. I thrill at the new found freedom of a child who discovers the love of reading. I love cheering from the sidelines at soccer games. I love laughing over dinner. I am grateful for the chance to watch as they come up out of the water with smiles on their faces as they are baptized new members of the church.

I know that I'll love the stages yet to come, but I never want to forget the days of diapers, sleepless nights, endless homework, and teaching children to read. This is my remembering place so that the experiences of this time of life will live far beyond the days of toddler's tantrums and crumbs on the kitchen floor.