my journey to become a mother did not come easily [and is currently still, not easy]  a desire that god put in my heart 5 years ago, took a few years to come to fruition.  but ya know what?  before my kids even came home, I was a mom.  some people would say I wasn’t a “real mom” yet, but I was a mom.  If I’ve learned anything throughout our adoption process, i learned that family is more than blood.  The summers, and Christmas breaks I spent in Ethiopia before we were even matched with Camp + Asher…I was a mom.  There were kids, boys and girls, elementary aged and teenagers that God put in my path to love and to be my family.  and they were, and they are.  I have “kids” all over east africa that call me mom.  Some of them, if not most of them, have biological mothers.  so while I might not be their “biological” mom, I’ve had the honor to be their spiritual mother.  Being a mom is about dying to yourself every day, putting others needs above your own, and loving with your whole heart.  and there are more than a handful of kids around the world that I feel that way about.

[currently on sale at Sevenly]

while today I celebrate mothers who have babies in their arms, I also celebrate mothers who have empty arms.  Mothers who are waiting, mothers who have suffered loss, mothers who love with full abandon children who don’t share their bloodline.  The friends I have that don’t have kids at home, have such amazing influence over the younger generation.  they love in a way that says, “you are a part of my family”.  and today I celebrate them.  I celebrate all the ones who feel forgotten and left out.  today I celebrate the love and influence they pour out day in and day out to children who don’t share their last name.

join me today, if you will, in praying for and lifting up the women in your life who might want to just stay in bed all da.  send them a text telling them you love them, remind them that god has not forgotten them, lift them up in prayer, leave a gift on their front porch.  there is so much pain and heartache in waiting to be a mom, and let’s not let today go by without celebrating and loving on the women in our lives who might be hurting today.