Three Little Lovelies

Mother's Day.

It's a time that we celebrate all the woman who have done or are currently doing one of the hardest things known to man, raising tiny little humans to be responsible grown-ups. Now men don't get jealous, your time is coming next month and there are plenty of things only you can do as a Dad that we as Moms just can't do.

Whether you have your own children, you are raising grandchildren, raising step-children, or you are helping shape nieces and nephews, this thing called parenting takes a village.  A village that is made up of numerous people, young and old, there to help teach, train, and guide your precious little ones into the people you want and desire them to be. I encourage you to let help in your circle. Don't try to do it all on your own. Granted you might not like every piece of advice you get, but oftentimes you don't like it because it's not your way. Let people tell you what they think, good or bad, if you look hard enough, you might just learn something yourself.  No one has the perfect parenting track record, but everyone does have experience and a lesson they can teach you.  Don't take yourself too seriously and don't take what others say too seriously about your parenting style.

I adore this quote and it's something I try to tell myself often:

Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. ~ Maya Angelou

So in honor of Mother's Day, I wanted to share a little bit about each one of my lovelies and why I absolutely love being their mom, even on the hardest of days.

Emry Girl
My first. I was 7 months pregnant with her when I was baptized.  I think God laid a special hand on her (maybe I'm biased, I don't know). She's my mini-me.  The older she gets, the more she looks and acts like me. Tender-hearted, lovable, energetic, full of questions, wears her heart on her sleeve, loves her Daddy with all her heart.  Some days it's tough on her being the oldest, but I know she's exactly where she's supposed to be.  She gets people, she understands how they feel, she can empathize and she's only 6.  She has a lot she's going to be able to teach this world because she already knows the two most important commandments: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength and love your neighbor as yourself.

Her Name was Isla; she was a Showgirl*
My middle. The toughest labor out of all 3. I tell everyone, I should've known she was going to be a pistol by the way she came into this world. She is her Daddy up and down, side to side, and all the way around. It is eerie how much they are alike in their personality. She's the funniest little person I know. She's the boy that we don't have (never say never, right?!). She's feisty, rough around the edges, quick-witted, boisterous, and is filled with the Spirit when she sings. Isla has taught me the most so far about being a Godly woman, simply because she has pushed me to my limit time and time again and all I can do is love her all the more for it.  God knew I needed her, he knew I needed to be broken down for many different reasons and he has used her to do it.  I will not lie, it has been one of the most difficult things I have had to endure, and I have failed over and over again, but she has been able to help mold me more into the Christian woman I am called to be.  For that I will be forever grateful.

*My Dad makes up nicknames for all his children and grandchildren.*

Ollywood
The baby. My snuggle bunny. Mama's girl. My special one that I prayed about before I even knew her. The biggest so far out of all three. The clingiest out of all three. She can make your heart melt with just one toothy grin of hers. Rotten as can be but in a good way. I cry tears of joy each time I get to see her accomplish something new because it's something I missed with the other two. She loves her big sisters so much already, you can just see it in her eyes when she looks up at them.  Soaking in every little thing they do. With her, I've learned to let go, to let go of perfection, simply because three children under the age of 6 are hard on a mama any which way you look at it. She's going to be the spoiled one, I can already tell but can you really call yourself the baby if you aren't spoiled just a little bit?

I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart!

God knew me. He knew what I needed at each point in my life. He made no mistakes. He placed these babies in my life at just the right time, creating them and knitting them together to be the little people I need, make them perfectly "imperfect".

Happy Mother's Day to all! Keep fighting the good fight.



With love,
Tori