happy mother's day.

I once read someone's innermost thoughts on social media - they were defending their choice to not have children, which I can respect.  The reason, however, is something that stuck with me for a very long time.  Children change your very identity.

I mean, sure if you count the princess soundtrack we all know by heart that plays in the car.  Or the way I know the best angles to set the chairs for stable forts and reading nooks.  Or maybe it's the way I scrutinize food labels for the things I'd like to keep out of their precious little bodies.

My heart did change the day I found out I was carrying life.  Its edges softened, its capacity grew, and my very soul gained a dimension I knew nothing about previously.  Life slowly transforms from being neat and compact to slightly dicey when your heart wanders outside your body.

Being a mom - something that sounds so simple.  It's what dreams are made of, right?  The title is so deceiving.  When you become a mom; the picture of mom transforms from matchy family portraits to a frazzled mom wearing yoga pants for the third day in a row while juggling an impossible number of things while the baby eats dog food for the 54th time that day.

The truth is, the hard is worth it.  Those fluttering lashes and soft cheeks that have the ability to ground you in an instant.  The way you wake up renewed with the morning sun, ready to juggle it all over again.  The way you strive for the best like you never have before.  It's invigorating - the rewards, the challenges, the way my children love me no matter what.

To the moms out there - to you, you, you, and you - you are doing an amazing job.  God made you for this job, and you are good enough, even on the rough days.  Having children does change you - it's only a glimpse into how much Jesus loves us.  And if my heart is softer, and my horizons broadened for having children; I'm glad I did change.

Happy Mother's Day.