At 5:04 PM, after 13 hours of labor SHE WAS HERE! The doctor placed her on my stomach and I finally felt the warmth of motherhood—and then I realized THAT was pee.
My daughter, not 2 minutes after birth, peed on me.
REAL LIFE PEOPLE—I KID YOU NOT! Also, please tell me I’m not the only one this has happened to…
In all seriousness, I didn’t even care because SHE WAS FINALLY HERE! After a season of loss, this sweet girl was a true rainbow after the storm, and she was here.
Motherhood sanctifies us in ways we never imagined (or at least, I never imagined!), but since we’re being made into new things (i.e. moms…) it’s by definition a true work of art.
Motherhood is JUST LIKE ART — I’M not kidding. I’m diving into 3 ways that motherhood is a true and beautiful work of art. Let’s go…
Sometimes I stand there going, ‘I’m not doing any of this right!’ And then I get this big man belch out of her and I go, ‘Ah, we accomplished this together.’
—Christina Applegate
BECOMING MOM
First of all—as mothers, we are becoming something we never were before. It’s totally new, and I don’t know about you, but I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING!
When we were about to leave the hospital with our newborn baby, I was like… umm… you’re letting us take her home? Seriously?
Well, the answer of course was yes–but 9 months in my belly didn’t prepare me for being a mom. I knew ALL ABOUT the labor. But after the baby comes home?! How the heck do I do this thing?
With art, sometimes I don’t exactly know where a piece is going. I’m not sure of what I’m doing, I feel like I’m not doing it right, but by grace the piece gets painted beautifully.
Motherhood changes you into something else much like blank paper is transformed by paint and brushes–you don’t know what you’re doing, but with the help of your tiny humans, you’re accomplishing a great feat–being a mom.
ALWAYS CHANGING
Remember that day you finally had the nap schedule figured out?! You knew exactly what time your sweet little cherub would go down for a nap, about how long he’d sleep, and when you’d do it all again. It was bliss, right?!
BUT WAIT—the next day the schedule was different!? He woke up 5 times in the night? Growth spurt?! Teething?! WHY????
What I’ve learned as a now mom of three kiddos 5, 3, and 2, they are CONSTANTLY changing. They are constantly becoming bigger people with feelings and opinions.
While that is beautiful—it’s also a LOT of work for mamas like you.
“All those who think they have it made, take one step forward. Not so fast George Banks!”
—Steve Martin as George Banks in Father of the Bride
Motherhood is always changing—our motherhood is constantly evolving so we can be the mothers our kids need at the moment they need it.
You think you’ve got the hang of something, but just like *snaps fingers* that it changes! AND THAT’S OKAY! You were made for this job “mama,” and just like beautiful art pieces evolve and change over time, you, my mama friend, are becoming more beautiful day by day because of these changes (and I feel pretty compelled to remind you that these changes aren’t ever easy, but they’re sanctifying).
TIMELESS AND FOREVER
The beautiful work of the master artists has stood the test of time. The work sits in famous museums, enjoys oogles from people across the globe (well not right now because of the pandemic, but typically), and it will continue to last forever.
Motherhood is a forever bond. Once you’re a mom, you’re a mom—and that’s a beautiful thing.
I lost my first pregnancy at 24. It was traumatic, especially since I wasn’t really expecting to be pregnant. Peeking at the positive test, excitement and joy had filled my heart so completely–finding out the news weeks later was devastating.
BUT—
That didn’t make me any less of a mom.
Regardless of your season of life, whether you’re home with newborns, caring for your circus of craziness, an empty-nester enjoying the quiet but deeply missing the days of chaos, waiting [im]patiently for your baby to arrive, if your babies are earthside or in heaven, grieving loss or an entire season of loss and devastation, simply waiting, waiting, and waiting, or anywhere in between, YOU are a mama. And your motherhood (wherever you are in your journey) is a beautiful work of art, and it’s forever.
Three kids later, and after each kid’s birth I’ve said “I could do that again.” Sounds like it was the epidural talking, right?!
Let me say that they weren’t easy, but I could do it again.
Motherhood changed me in ways I never expected, and total transparency? Some ways I really didn’t want. I mean… the “sanctification” process sounds great as a theory, but in practice?! It kinda sucks.
BUT here I am also saying that I wouldn’t be the person I am without dying to myself daily as a mom, without putting my kids first, without pouring that thirtieth cup of milk or making that 234928th batch of macaroni and cheese. I’ve been completely changed by motherhood, and if you look at your life, I think you’ll see that you have too in the most beautiful ways.
Motherhood is a beautiful work of art. You are becoming an entirely new thing (mama)–like a blank paper becomes a beautiful painting with paints and brushstrokes.
Your motherhood is constantly changing and evolving in that new part of you–like artwork takes time and patience, give yourself grace to change slowly. Change takes time, just like beautiful artwork.
And most importantly, once you are a mama, you’re a mama forever like the beautiful artwork of the master artists that make time stand still.
Art MATTERS! You’re a work of art, mama. And I hope you remember today that just like a lovely painting beautifies a simple piece of paper through time, dedication, and love — MOTHERHOOD looks good on you.
Interested in seeing what your art style vibe is?! Click here.
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Oct 28, 2021
Oct 28, 2021
Oct 28, 2021