Mother’s Day

“For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”
Psalm 139.13 NIV

In order for someone to have a healthy baby in their arms, alive & breathing, there has to be perfect timing of a healthy egg & healthy sperm to come together. Not only that, but the embryo has to attach to the woman’s healthy uterine wall. Before you even get to conception, a woman has to have a healthy cycle, balanced hormones, & ovulation must take place. Many women have plenty of healthy eggs, but they never get released during ovulation. Many women release healthy eggs, but because of their uterine lining, the embryo won’t attach. Some women have an embryo attach to their uterine wall, but their uterus is not shaped properly to carry that life. Some women have plenty of eggs, but they are not healthy eggs. Many men have a low sperm count. Many men don’t have healthy, quick sperm. Many embryos miscarry because the chromosomes were abnormal….

In order for someone to have a healthy baby in their arms, alive & breathing, the woman must have a healthy pregnancy. They must take the right amount of vitamins & supplements for their baby to grow properly, they must stay hydrated even if they are puking from morning sickness, they must have, again, balanced hormones to be able to carry the pregnancy to full-term, they must have a large enough uterus for the baby to grow, they must have a healthy uterine lining, they must have a properly shaped uterus, they must have healthy blood to travel to the placenta, they must have a healthy placenta, they must have the placenta growing in the correct place, & many many more “they musts.”

In order for someone to have a healthy baby in their arms, alive & breathing, the delivery has to be safe. The baby & mom’s blood pressure has to stay at a healthy place, the placenta has to be in it’s correct place, the baby must be turned properly in the womb, the umbilical cord should not wrap around the baby’s neck, the woman cannot lose too much blood, & many other things must take place.

For Mother’s Day, I wanted to say something different. Something I feel hasn’t be talked about enough. This is not just a day to say “happy mother’s day,” but it’s a day to remind you of your miracles. That being a mother is miraculous gift. I know that sometimes there are complications with the pregnancy and/or delivery, but the baby still comes out alive & well. I know that some women don’t get the proper vitamins & nutrition during their pregnancy, but the baby has no complications. However, I want to point out how much must line up correctly in order for someone to bring home their child. We know that 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, & we know that 1 in 8 couples can’t even get pregnant after a year or more of trying. But you… you may have sneezed & got pregnant without a worry in the world throughout your whole pregnancy, or maybe you tried for a while to get that positive pregnancy test & when you finally were pregnant, you felt miserable with morning sickness the whole pregnancy, you may have gotten pregnant with your child through IVF or artificial insemination, you may have had someone else carry your child for you in their womb, you may have adopted your child, perhaps you had a miscarriage before you brought home your healthy baby, maybe you never wanted kids, but you accidentally got pregnant, or (fill in the blank with your story)… No matter how your child came into this world, the truth of the matter is, you have been given a huge gift & high calling to be a mother. What an honor & privilege that God trusts you to give you children & motherhood. He chose YOU specifically to mother your children.

I know it’s hard. I may not be in your shoes, but I don’t doubt that there have been times you’ve wanted to give up being a mom. I know you’ve been annoyed with your kids or they have gotten on your last nerve. I know they make your house messy even though before you had kids, you were a clean freak. I know they pee & poop in places that they’re not supposed to, & you are left to clean it up. I know it’s more than a full time “job” because you are always on the clock, even at 3am. There are so many other things I’m sure you could add to this list, but still… God chose YOU! Today, even though my deepest desire is to be a mom, & I know that I am to 6 babies in Heaven, I want to honor you. Don’t ever forget what a miracle your children are. Don’t ever forget that you are loved & appreciated.

And for the woman who feels she is a mother in her heart, although she has no children to hold, Happy Mother’s Day. I’m right there with you. One day we will get to celebrate this day with our hands full of kids, & even if today is not that day, I know God loves you & has a perfect plan for your family. Don’t lose hope.

Happy “Miracle” Day to my mom, sister, & mother-in-love