The Sweetest Mother's Day Gift!

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 Grandmother book by Leslie Means

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A GRANDMA

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.

Robotics Kids Are Building More than You Can See

In: Kids
Robotics kid watching competition

These robotics kids are going to shape our future. I think this every time I watch an elementary, middle school, or high school competition. My thoughts go back many years to when my middle child, who was six at the time, went with my husband to the high school robotics shop. They were only stopping in briefly to pick up some engineering kits, but my child quickly became captivated by what the “big kids” were doing. He stood quietly watching until one student walked over and asked if he would like to see what they were working on. My son,...

Keep Reading

Foster Care Kids Are Worth Fighting for

In: Kids
Hand holding young child's hand

Sometimes foster care looks like bringing a child from a hard place into your home. Sometimes it looks like sitting at a ball field with a former foster love’s mom and being her village. He’s the one who has brought me to my knees more times than my own children. He’s the one I lie awake at night thinking about. He’s the one I beg the father to protect. He’s the one who makes me want to get in the trenches over and over again. It’s our Bubba. So much of the story is not mine to tell, but the...

Keep Reading

We Aren’t Holding Her Back—We’re Giving Her More Time

In: Kids
Child writing on preschool paper

When we decided to give our preschooler another year before kindergarten, I thought the hardest part would be explaining it to other people. I was wrong. The hardest part was the afternoon her teacher asked to talk. In that split second in the pick-up line, my heart sank. I assumed the worst. I braced myself for a conversation about behavior, about something we had somehow missed, about whether her strong personality was causing problems. Instead, it became the moment that confirmed what we already knew. We were not holding her back. We were giving her time. Our daughter is bright....

Keep Reading

A Life Lived Differently Is Not a Life Less Lived

In: Kids
Little boy running in field

My life changed on that beautiful autumn day. The thing is, nothing really happened. Not really. My life kind of went on as usual. A fly on the wall might even say it was a great day. I brought my 3-year-old son to an animal farm for a Halloween event. He was quirky as usual and a bit ornery that day. Aloof. “Come feed the baby animals,” I pleaded. No, thank you. Crowds of excited children? Absolutely not. Buckets of candy? You can keep them. My heart ached watching my beautiful, blonde-haired boy wander into a field alone, away from...

Keep Reading

Enjoy the Ride, Kid

In: Kids
Two people running up from the water at the beach

Last night I watched an episode of Shrinking. If you haven’t jumped into the series yet, it’s one of those that hits the heart hard- at least for me. The episode centered on the birth of a baby, while one of the characters grappled with the closing years of life. Spoiler alert: as the elder of the group cradled this new life in his arms, bridging generations across the hospital room, the moment of realization of how fast life goes hit like a ton of bricks. “Enjoy the ride, kid.” The final words of this episode are sitting with me,...

Keep Reading

Mommy, Will You Play With Me?

In: Kids, Motherhood
Boy sitting in middle of toys smiling

With four kids at three different schools, our days are full. Between sports practices, music lessons, clubs, rehearsals, games, meets, and playdates, it feels like we’re constantly heading somewhere. I love that my children are involved in activities, but occasionally, it’s nice to have some downtime. When I get a text or email that a practice has been canceled, it’s usually a huge relief. Last week, after-school sports were cancelled due to heavy rain. When I picked up my youngest son from school, I told him we’d be going straight home for the rest of the afternoon. He looked surprised....

Keep Reading

Could We Take a Page from the ’80s and Stop Overparenting?

In: Kids, Motherhood

I have a confession: Yesterday I let my 11-year-old play with fire. Like literally. We live in the country, there is still wet snow on the ground, and he’s done it with his dad at least 20 times. But yesterday was the fifth consecutive day of no school, and probably the twentieth consecutive day of him asking to have a small fire without dad. Part of me did it out of laziness. Part of me did it out of selfishness. And part of me did it out of nostalgia. Here’s the thing—when I was 11, I was already babysitting (like...

Keep Reading

A Big Brother Is His Little Sister’s First Friend

In: Kids
Big brother and little sister smiling at each other

He doesn’t remember the day she came home.But she has never known a world without him. From the beginning, he was there first. The first to reach for her hand. The first to explain the rules. The first to decide what was fair and what absolutely was not. He didn’t know he was being assigned a role. He just stepped into it. Big brother. She followed him everywhere. Into rooms she technically wasn’t invited into. Into games she didn’t fully understand. Into stories she insisted on hearing again and again. She wanted to do what he did, say what he...

Keep Reading

7 Is the Bridge Between Little and Big Kid

In: Kids
Girl sitting in front of dollhouse

I was in the middle of the post-holiday clean-up chaos when something hit me. My oldest daughter is seven, and while it feels like an age that doesn’t get talked about much, it really is turning out to be such a sweet spot. It hit me as we were redesigning her room. A change that occurred when she broke my mama-heart a few weeks prior by saying she didn’t think she wanted a princess room anymore. While everything in me wanted to try to convince her to keep it, stay small and sweet just a little longer, I knew I...

Keep Reading

So God Made a Gymnast

In: Kids
Young gymnast on balance beam

God made a gymnast with fearless grace, strength in her heart, and a fire in her spirit. He molded her courage, steady and true, and quietly whispered, “We believe in you.” He taught her balance when life feels chaotic and messy, to leap into her faith and stick each landing just right. When she stumbles, He is always right there to help her rise back up with faith in her soul and a spark in her eyes. Each floor routine with the grace of a swan; each move is a dream, all built on dedication and grit. God made her...

Keep Reading