My story is a simple one, but like everyone’s, it has some detours and many twists and turns. It has mountains to climb and valleys to rest in and has dark times as well as light times where God has touched my life in some kind of way.
One of these times was when I became a momma, and my whole life changed.
The day I found out I was pregnant was my sister’s birthday on a cold, snowy January morning. I was shocked—six months prior I had suffered an ectopic pregnancy that resulted in the loss of my left fallopian tube. I wasn’t expecting to get pregnant again so soon or so easily, and I was terrified.
My heart couldn’t handle another loss.
But nonetheless, my pregnancy progressed. There were some complications, and I felt myself protecting my heart, but she (and I) were fighters, and the months went by. At 39-weeks after a long hard labor, my husband and I welcomed our healthy, bright blue-eyed girl into the world, and it was only fitting that we chose a name that means “ray of sun” because that’s exactly what she is.
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The day I became a mother, I felt reborn. Motherhood has changed me physically, mentally, and emotionally and has made me a better version of myself. Motherhood is prayers that have never been prayed before and prayers that will now be always prayed. For a mother’s prayer is the most powerful.
Motherhood can be rough days and long nights. It’s being so scared that something is going to happen to your little one but giving everything over to God and trusting him with your world because you can’t spend your whole life being consumed with worry and fear.
Motherhood is muddy footprints down the halls and sticky fingers on the walls.
Motherhood is not getting enough of that newborn baby smell, iced coffee, endless diapers, endless cartoon shows you know all the words to, taking a shower to have a few moments to yourself before you unravel, messes and innocent giggles, toddler tantrums over everything and anything, and little hugs and smiles that melt your heart.
Motherhood is working my behind off to give my little one the childhood I didn’t have and the opportunities I wasn’t given. It’s being able to boost her a little farther in life than I’ve come and for her to have every chance I can possibly give for her dreams to come true.
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Motherhood is being taught what true love is and learning something new every day, whether it’s about yourself or something different, and seeing the world and your life in a new light.
Motherhood is all of this and so much more.
Just like every breath we breathe, motherhood is a true gift that should never be taken for granted—even on the hard days.
My story has some detours and many twists and turns, but becoming a momma has been my favorite, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
by Catherine Dietrich 
by Anna Colley 
