Being a Mom

Usually when you meet someone new, the first thing you ask is, "What do you do?"  I remember the days of being a stay at home mom when my answer was just that, "I am a stay at home  mom."  The responses were varied, from oh that's good, to just oh, and the person would walk away thinking I was not contributing much to society at large.
But for me, I consider being a mom the greatest challenge and the greatest joy I have ever had, and fortunately am still having. Parenting does not stop when your kids are grown  up.
A normal part of being mom is helping your child navigate difficult times.  My first teaching job was in a dinky migrant town in Arizona and I usually went home every weekend since there was nothing to do with the Gila monsters.  One weekend I was eating dinner with my mom and burst into tears.  I had no idea why, but she hit the nail on the head. "Honey, you are really lonely down there because there is no one there your age."  How did my mom know that? How could she read me so well?  It didn't change my circumstances, but knowing that someone knew and cared, helped me go back to my job.
My mom died pretty young, when Kristin was only three and I was pregnant with Corrie.  I never had the chance to ask her any questions about parenting, and if I was doing it right.  I remember one thing she always said to me: "There are no courses in parenting.  I did the best I could all these years, and I've loved you."

I love being a mom. All my girls have been a joy in so many ways, but for this moment I want to focus on Kristin. I've seen her grow over the years into the beautiful woman she is now and could not be more proud.  She is honest and open, she loves God, loves her husband, loves her son with everything in her.  She is an example to me in so many ways of learning to trust in God when you really just don't understand.  We've been through a lot in our lives, we lived in three different countries, she was at one time fluent in all three languages.  She's gone to school here, there and everywhere, she's loved one boy who then became her husband, she's journeyed through this difficult time of carrying and loving Branch with such grace and love and hope that every time I pray for her, I cry tears of joy mixed with sorrow.  She trusts that God will see her through the birth, even though she knows there will be such great grief when he's gone.
She is a great mom.  
Kristin, I love you.
Mom