Recently, I was talking to my daughter about the time she came into my life after she had voiced a few thoughtless and hurtful comments. She’s going to turn 18 soon, so we often have conversations that start with “When I’m 18 I can (fill in the blank).”
Helloooo… I was just 18 myself – ok… not just, but I remember it very well. I printed invitations for my birthday that read “I am free as a bird” (Lynyrd Skynyrd’s song Free Bird was and is one of my favorites) and I had my first car ready in the driveway and couldn’t wait to just go and see the world. Ah… good times! Good memories!
Then I had no idea that two short years later, I would be married with a family. But let’s not jump the gun!
So when I was processing her comments I came to think of my first wedding anniversary and I was wondering what people do on their first anniversary.
I made a quick list in my head:
- Eat more wedding cake
- Re-live the day, watch videos and look at pictures
- Celebrate and have dinner at the place the reception was
- Repeat the honeymoon
- Have anniversary sex
Well, then my 2-almost 3-year old son jolted me back into reality by throwing Legos at me, so next stop: Google (of course). Type in the phrase “what to do on your first anniversary” and you can find many more great ideas.
However, my husband and I didn’t do any of those things on our first anniversary. Instead, we were on a plane to pick up my husband’s 2-almost 3-year-old daughter. Hence Happy Plane-aversary became our yearly “inside joke.”
On ->my<- first anniversary ->I<- became a mother.
I didn’t have mind-blowing sex and a great orgasm. I didn’t take a pregnancy test. I didn’t wait nine months until she finally arrived. I didn’t have any labor pain. I didn’t see her the minute she was born. I didn’t breastfeed her. I didn’t know her the first six months of her life.
But I am her mother.
I am her mother until I will take my last breath.
I am her mother and she is my daughter.
I fell in love with her the minute I saw her. I cannot imagine my life without her. I am proud of her. She drives me crazy. I get mad at her, but I will defend her like a lioness defends her cubs. And I love her from here to the moon and back.
So… I didn’t do any of the wonderful things other people do on their first anniversary. I did something that turned out to be much better and so much more rewarding than eating a piece of old cake.
I chose to become her mother.
Your life is full of choices.
It is up to you and you alone what to do with your life.
{Happy Plane-aversary – I love you more each year}
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12)