Grateful...

The 2P's challenge for yesterday was to share something you are grateful for as a mother. I'm simply grateful to be a mother. Lots of women know from a rather young age (in my opinion) that they want to have children. I was not one of them. As a matter of fact until not to long ago I was almost certain I didn't want children. I didn't want to take care of someone else. I did that everyday. I did that when I was a kid. My sister is 7 years younger and after my parents divorced I spent a lot of time with my sister and taking care of her after school while my mom was at work. It was not fun being the live-in-babysitter. And now as a grown-up I can see the necessity of the situation. It was important. But as a 12-17 year old I did not enjoy it. So I wasn't eager to have a baby that needed to be cared for. And Morgan knew this going into our marriage. But he also hoped I would change my mind.

I can't really put my finger on what it was that changed my mind either. Probably a combination of things. Friends having children. Working with children. Having nephews and a niece. Being at a place in my life where I had accomplished some of the educational and professional goals I had. And after I got pregnant I remember thinking to myself, there is no turning back now! And I wouldn't want to. Having Owen is one of the best, if not the best, decisions I've made. Every day is special because of him. Sometimes the specialness is a challenge but it's not boring. My home is now a classroom where we both learn and explore and discover. I love that. The world changes when you have a child. Your own personal world especially. Life is no longer about you. Your needs and wants are secondary, at least for a time, to the child's. And I'm learning everyday how to fit it all together.

So I'm grateful for just being able to be a mommy. Because I almost missed out.