Am I A Real Mom?

Mom, what a wonderful word. Just one little word with so much meaning! I waited so long to hear that sweet word. As if hearing it would make it real, but the reality of "Adoption does not cure infertility" still haunts me like an annoying song that comes and goes dancing in my mind. Even with all the normal crazy of motherhood I sometimes still question my motherhood! In the quiet, when the sounds of the day have went to bed, when there are no more boo boos to kiss, when shopping for kids cloths with no kids, or the hateful social media posts telling us we aren't the real mom...The song plays again. Can people tell I'm just pretending? Can they see I've never given birth? Have I passed the test of motherhood? Did I make it in to the mother's only club? Am I enough?

I know these thoughts have no merit, and I know from whom they come from, but even Webster's first definition of mother is; to give birth to. So where does that leave us who have not given birth to the children that call us Mom? Those feelings are just that, feelings, and feelings can lead us astray from reality. The reality that real moms do for their children what others will not. We wipe snotty noses. We make sure our kids have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We comfort crying babies, clean up their vomit, wash their clothes, and laugh at their not so funny jokes! We are their biggest cheerleader and toughest counselor. We listen to silly stories, and let them cry on our shoulder when their hearts are broken. We clothe them, shelter them, and share our dessert with them. We fight for them and teach them to fight for themselves. We give them confidence. We watch them grow and cry when they leave. When the thoughts of false motherhood play in my ear I laugh. I laugh because motherhood is not so easily defined by giving birth. Sorry Webster.

Every night I tuck my boy in and say, "Your my favorite boy in the whole world." He replies without hesitation, "Your my favorite Mommy in the whole world." And in that moment he has no idea how much that little sentence means to me. The only people who truly matters in defining me are my son and daughter. To them I am Mom, Momma, Mommy, Mmaam, Mmm. To them, I am the one who will be here in the morning.

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:10

Listen Mommas you are enough...For this is the moment God prepared you in advance for!