mother's day | to me.

Four years ago on this day, my life changed forever.

I took a pregnancy test, saw two pink lines, and immediately collapsed on the bathroom floor while laughing and crying at the same time. I knew I'd see those two pink lines, mainly because I knew that the killer headache I'd had for the past week was telling me that something in my body wasn't like it always had been. But now it was real.

I was growing a baby inside my belly.

My journey to motherhood was a lot easier than actually living in motherhood has been so far. I think that most mamas would agree with that statement, because it's no joke keeping tiny humans alive. This ride is abundant with joy, though, and even the hardest days are producing goodness in me, my husband, and our kiddos. Nothing is wasted in parenthood.

Four years ago, there was a teeny baby growing inside of me, and last year on this day, there was another teeny baby growing inside of another woman. By the grace of God, these two teeny babies now call each other brother and sister. And I'm the one who has been given the high privilege to be called Mommy by both of them.

Motherhood looks a lot different than I thought it would before I became a mama; some things have been infinitely more difficult, but other things have been infinitely more wonderful than I ever dreamed they would be. All of it balances out to be the best thing I've ever done, the best job I've ever had, and the best love I've ever given.

Babies don't keep, but mamas always do.

And in the words of a well-known, well-loved children's book, "as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."