So God Made a Mother is Here! 🎉

I will never forget the day when I got the call that my son needed brain surgery. Electric energy zinged through every nerve in my body as I tried to drive my little boy and myself home that day. It was a culmination of contradicting emotions all battling for the forefront of my heart. Fear at war with knowledge. Worry at war with relief.

Although, to many, the diagnosis seemed to come quickly, I had known there was something wrong for nearly two years. It wasn’t fireworks, only a deep nagging that something was off. So when I got the call, I felt all the normal emotions like overwhelming worry and fear, but they were mixed with relief and the knowledge that comes with a diagnosis. Feeling an eerie comfort of at least having a name and knowing the monster we were getting ready to battle.

For those two years, I had taken him to an ENT for brief episodes of vertigo as well as three different pediatricians within the practice for days when he felt tired and weak only to be told it was just a virus or he was dehydrated. I also took him to a neurologist that believed nothing was wrong with him although he did order the MRI that eventually lead to his diagnosis of Chiari Malformation.

I share this tiny piece of my story because I want to encourage others. I think moms are given a gift when their children are born. Call it the gift of instinct, intuition or whatever you want, but I believe it is a gift God gives us as mothers to just know our child on a deeper level. To sense their needs before they even know themselves or to know just how to talk to them to reach their heart.

This doesn’t just apply to health issues, it could be emotional as well. It could mean they may be having anxiety, stress, anger and trust issues. If you ever have those moments where you feel that something is not right, don’t ignore this gift. However, there are some things that you should ignore.

 

Ignore your doubts. You are not expected to have all the answers. However, doubting your feelings may cause you to hesitate. Usually doubts come when we are on the right track. Ignore the doubts and continue to be the voice for your child.

Ignore what others may think. I had a wonderful supportive family even when they later admitted they did not really think anything was wrong. However, I am referring to others who make you feel like you are crazy, or overly concerned. They may even call you obsessive. Ignore what others may think and continue pushing forward.

Ignore the negative. It is so important to stay positive and focused. This journey can be discouraging at times. After my son’s diagnosis and one week before his brain decompression surgery, an acquaintance of mine told me a horror story about complications after her son’s tonsillectomy. In fact, I had many negative stories shared with me from others who I honestly think meant well. When you allow the negativity into your mind and spirit, doubts and what others think invade your heart and become louder than your gift. Ignore the negative and embrace the positive as you press toward the mark.

 

You are a wonderful woman. You are a great mom. You are your child’s greatest advocate, their champion. Let go of all the doubts, opinions and negativity. Embrace the crazy, happy, messy awesome life you have been given, the life as a mom.

So God Made a Mother book by Leslie Means

If you liked this, you'll love our new book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Order Now

Donna Mott

Donna Mott, also known as the blendermom, shares about walking in faith with her wonderful husband and three children in their blended family at https://familiesunbroken.com/. She has written numerous articles and has been featured on sites such as UnveiledWife.com, First Magazine for Women, Huffington Post, TheMighty.com, South Africa’s All4Women, FamilyFusionCommunity.com, and UpliftingFamilies.com. In February 2015, her youngest son at age 10 had brain surgery for Chiari Malformation. She is now passionate about spreading awareness of this incurable brain condition. At the end of the day, it's all about family, laughter and a whole lot of grace.

7 Strategies for Reducing Your Kids’ Screen Time

In: Kids, Living, Motherhood
Young child smiling using a tablet

Recently, my husband received military orders that moved us and our kids across the country. Of course, this came with a ton of changes—thankfully, the flexibility of my job allowed me to continue working, just with reduced hours, which then meant my full-time daycare kid had to become an (almost) full-time, at-home kid since we couldn’t hack the costs of childcare in our new location anymore. So, I suddenly had to figure out working with both of my kids at home with me. This sent my stress levels through the roof. Trying to juggle my priorities as a parent and...

Keep Reading

Dear Tween, I Will Try To Remember You Little

In: Kids, Motherhood, Tween
Tween boy lying on back of couch cushions in front of a window

When I hold you, I will try to remember your tiny arms and tiny legs wrapped securely around me. When I see you crying, I will try to remember your scraped, tanned knees and how I could fix anything with a kiss and a Band-Aid. When you tell me to go away, I will try to remember how you reached for my hand to take your next step. When you answer me with silence, I will try to remember the nights you wouldn’t let me go without one more story. RELATED: I’ll Lay With You As Long As You Need,...

Keep Reading

Look beyond the Labels for What You Don’t See

In: Kids, Motherhood
Three kids sitting on parents' laps smiling

I’ve always said that labeling someone with high- or low-functioning autism, or any disability for that matter, isn’t ever truly accurate. You may see an extremely smart girl who seems “normal” but you don’t see everything. You don’t see how the noises hurt her ears. You don’t see how the bright lights hurt her eyes. You don’t see how hard she struggles to fit in. You don’t see how she struggles to understand the social cues. You don’t see how seriously she takes what you say even if you’re joking. You don’t see the struggles when she’s having an overwhelming...

Keep Reading

When You Look Back on These Pictures, I Hope You Feel My Love

In: Kids, Motherhood
Four kids playing in snow, color photo

I document your life in pictures. I do it for you. I do it for me. I do it because I want you to know I lived every memory. And loved every moment. When you go back through the thousands of moments, I hope it sparks something deep inside of you. Something that perhaps your heart and mind had forgotten until that moment. And I hope that it makes you smile.  I hope the memories flood and you remember how much each moment was cherished.  I hope each giggle and secret that was shared with your sisters at that moment sparks...

Keep Reading

For the Parents of the Kids Who Don’t Fit the Mold

In: Kids, Motherhood
mom hugging her daughter

This one is for the parents of the kids who don’t fit the mold. I see you holding your kid together with nothing but love and a prayer as they cry or feel defeated and you wish the world would see your kid like you do. I see you wiping away their tears after they were yet again passed over for all the awards and accolades. There is no award for showing up for school despite crippling anxiety or remembering to write down assignments for the first year ever. So they had to sit clapping again for friends whose accomplishments...

Keep Reading

Let Your Kids See You Try and Fail

In: Kids, Motherhood
Mother and daughter sitting on floor knitting together

Let your kids see you try and fail at something. That’s what I did today!  My daughter wanted to take a knitting class together. I said sure, naively thinking the skill would come pretty naturally. I’m usually good at things like this.  Guess what? It didn’t. Although she picked it up easily and was basically a knitting pro within five minutes, the teacher kept correcting me, saying, “No, UNDER! You need to go UNDER, not OVER.” She was kind enough, but it just wasn’t clicking. I started to get frustrated with myself. I normally take things like this in stride...

Keep Reading

My Kids Don’t Like to Read, but They Do Love to Learn

In: Kids, Motherhood
Two children reading with each other, color photo

I fell in love with books during a war while my kids lost interest in reading during COVID. Between 1975 and 1990 during the Civil War in Lebanon, my mom, an avid reader, was determined to make me one despite many odds. Once every few weeks, starting when I was about 10, she and I would make the half-hour trek by foot from our apartment in Beirut to a place we called the “book cave.” It was a nondescript space—about 15 by 20 square feet—tucked in the basement of a dilapidated building. Inside, it housed hundreds of books in various...

Keep Reading

Dear Teachers, Thank You Will Never Be Enough

In: Kids, Living
Kids hugging teacher

Growing up a teacher’s daughter has given me a lifetime of appreciation for educators. Of course, it’s true; I may be biased. I’ve been fortunate to have learned and been guided by many outstanding teachers, including my mother and grandmother, who passed those legacy skills onto my daughter, who strongly feels teaching is her calling. But if you’ve had your eyes and ears open in recent years, you, too, probably feel deep gratitude for the angels among us who work in the school system. So, as the school year ends, and on behalf of parents, grandparents, and anyone who loves...

Keep Reading

Before You, Boy, I Never Knew

In: Kids, Motherhood
Three boys playing in creek, color photo

Before you, boy, I never knew that little boys could get so dirty. Play so rough. Climb so high. Assess your risks. Make me hold my breath. Messes everywhere.   Before you, boy, I never knew how much my lap will make room for you. My arms will stretch to swallow you up in endless hugs and just hold you close. And love you to the moon and back. And back again. Snuggling and snuggling.  RELATED: I Met a Boy and He Changed Everything Before you, boy, I never knew that there would be so much wrestling. And superheroes, and far-off...

Keep Reading

It Hurts Seeing My Kid as a B-List Friend

In: Friendship, Kids, Teen
Teen girl sitting alone on a dock

Kids everywhere are celebrating, or will be celebrating soon. They will be playing outside, enjoying warm summer days, bike rides with friends, and maybe even sleepovers. It’s summer—it’s fun, right? Sure, it is. And sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes it isn’t fun for the kids you least expect it from. We have that issue, and I knew it was building for the past few weeks with our teenage daughter. She was moody (moodier than normal). Short tempered. Obviously frustrated, but not ready to talk about it. But it was when she came home on the last day of school, in tears,...

Keep Reading