The Sweetest Mother's Day Gift!

Parenting Doesn’t Come With an Instruction Manual…That’s Why God Gave Us Mothers

3 Minute Read

By Nicole Merritt

Parenting Doesn't Come With an Instruction Manual...That's Why God Gave Us Mothers www.herviewfromhome.com

Dear Mom,

Although you may or may not appreciate the public forum on which I am writing you, my intention of this letter is to share with you, and the world, just how much you mean to me.

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and it got me thinking . . .

For some women, the thought of their mom makes their eyes roll. For others, the mention of her name causes them anxiety. For those who do not have relationships at all with their mother, sadness ensues at the mere sight of another mother and her daughter.

But, for the select few, like myself, the thought of mom and the mention of her name brings us nothing but joy, excitement, love, and happiness.

My memories of you from when I was younger are all coated in unconditional love. All my memories make me smile. Even when I think about the times I got in trouble; you approached every consequence with love. I never doubted your love for me.

Everything that I am, I am because of you. I am kind because you treat people with kindness. I am respectful because you taught me the importance of that. I have a healthy mind because you showed me, by example, the extreme measure of a mother’s strength.

My five-year-old daughter asked me the other day if there is a school that mommies go to, to become mothers. I explained to her that although there is not a “school” for moms, that each mother learns by watching her mother. My children, your grandchildren, are so lucky that I was able to go to the “school of Gramys”.

There is so much about life that is hard and even more about parenting that is challenging. Neither life nor parenting comes with an instructional manual. But, that is why we have mothers.

I am the mother that I am today because of you. I make a lot of mistakes still, but my children have never felt unloved for one millisecond and that I am proud of. That is a product of your parenting.

Mom, you amaze me. You are my best friend. I admire you. I respect you. You inspire me and, of course, I love you.

This Mother’s Day and all days, remember just how lucky we are to have mothers that are clothed in dignity and are wise. Be grateful for a mother who loves you so fiercely that she is your parallel life; always going through everything with you, by your side, physically and emotionally.

These incredible women called mothers make life and parenting easier. Call yours today and let her know just what a blessing she is.

Originally published on the author’s blog

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!

Nicole Merritt

Nicole Merritt is a mother of three and the Owner and Founder of jthreeNMe, an imperfectly authentic peek at real-life marriage, parenting, and self-improvement. jthreeNMe is raw, honest, empowering, inspiring, and entertaining; it’s like chicken soup for those that are exhausted, over-stressed and under-inebriated, yet still utterly happy. Nicole's work has been featured by Scary Mommy, The Good Men Project, BLUNTmoms, Thought Catalog, Everyday Family, Motherly & many others. You can follow Nicole at jthreeNMe and on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter!

Soon There Will Be No More Breakfasts To Make

In: Grown Children, Motherhood, Teen

Ten boy eating breakfast at kitchen counter

T-minus 44 days until a new beginning- Math has never been my strong suit or my favorite subject, but it will be about 19 years spent rising and trying to shine in our house. Nineteen years of prepping one, two, or all three of our sons to get up and ready for school. Nineteen years of making breakfast. Nineteen years of making lunches. For those of you in the thick of it right now, you know exactly what I mean. I think my husband Steve and I have it down to a science now. If we had to do it...

Keep Reading

I’m Going to Tell You the Things Your Mom Should Have Told You

In: Living, Motherhood

During my oldest daughter’s freshman year of college, I started being haunted by a recurring dream of an old-fashioned suitcase—one of those hard-sided ones that’s as big as they come. In the dream, when I open the suitcase, it’s overflowing with clothing, shoes, and all kinds of stuff that belongs to me and each of my three daughters. Everything in the suitcase is all jumbled together. Nobody else in the dream is worried about sorting through everything, but I am totally stressed about it. To top it all off, I have to deal with this suitcase while preparing for a...

Keep Reading

The Half-Dressed Mom and Love in the Details

In: Motherhood

Woman sitting with coffee cup and book on bed

I am a proper mom. Not fancy, not prim—practical. I am dressed for the time of day, always. That is simply who I am. Except for this morning. This morning I was in a towel, bracing the bathroom counter, writhing in pain, and trying not to scream loud enough to disturb the neighbors. I had seen a specialist just the day before. He’d said I needed six weeks to heal before they could do further exploration. What he hadn’t said—what I hadn’t understood—was how much the healing itself would hurt. My 23-year-old daughter, Aislyn, found me like that. Panicked. Half-dressed....

Keep Reading

Mommy, Will You Play With Me?

In: Kids, Motherhood

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

God Carries Me Through the Deep Waters of Change

In: Faith, Living, Motherhood

“Ahhh!” My underwater scream garbled in my snorkel tube as the manta ray’s cavernous mouth swept a hand’s distance from my face. My fingers tightened around the surfboard until my knuckles ached. My arms trembled. I jerked my head side to side, searching for my daughters, Mia and Megan. Recent college graduates, they had joined me on one last mother-daughter vacation before launching their adult lives. They floated easily on the vibrant Hawaiian water, relaxed, trusting. I wanted to borrow their calm. Earlier, our guide had explained that the LED lights built into the surfboard attracted plankton the way college...

Keep Reading

Faith After a Rare Disease Diagnosis

In: Faith, Motherhood

My pastor frequently speaks of “kid pain” and acknowledges there’s nothing like it. I can testify to that. After nine months of uncertainty and unexplained issues following the birth of our now 4-year-old daughter, Harlow, we finally received her diagnosis of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Deficiency (PDCD), a life-limiting mitochondrial disease with no cure and no FDA-approved treatments. It was heartbreaking. In moments like these, a parent can fall into complete desperation. You go through a range of emotions almost too fast to name: fear for your child’s life; anxiousness about how much time you’ll get with them; overwhelming grief. And...

Keep Reading

Good Mothers Bake from Scratch, and Other Lies I’ve Believed

In: Motherhood

I am standing at the kitchen counter, spooning banana mix into a muffin tin, when my daughter makes a proposal. “How about dis . . . ?” Presley begins, pausing for dramatic effect. “How about I put four chocolate chips on each muffin because dat’s how old I am?” I smile at her logic. Once every pink polka-dotted liner is filled with batter and topped with exactly four chocolate chips, I place both tins on the middle rack and set a timer. Presley runs out of the room and returns with her plastic step stool, placing it directly in front...

Keep Reading

My ‘Dusty Son’ is 5

In: Living, Motherhood

Little boy holding out dandelion bouquet

As moms, we categorize everything. Girl mom. Boy mom. Wine mom. Outdoor mom. Farm mom. City mom. Now there’s been an uptick in social media trends about exposing our girls to worldly and fancy experiences so someday they’re “not impressed by your dusty son.” I won the parenting jackpot (in my humble opinion) and have an older daughter and a younger son. He’s five. Not a grown man making real-world decisions. Not a college kid learning how to adult. He’s five. He loves dinosaurs and Mario. His big sissy and his Great Dane. He is incapable of cruelty and is...

Keep Reading

These Little Moments Are Everything

In: Motherhood

Mother embracing young child who is kissing her cheek

I almost missed it, my little one. How your eyebrows lift in quiet concentration as you carefully place each block, adding a new wall to your tiger castle. The way you say “scoop over, mom” and shuffle closer to me until our legs touch. “Just one second, bud.” The mantra of all busy moms. I almost missed your blonde hair flying wild as you bounce on the trampoline, that belly laugh that makes the whole world feel soft. I almost missed it. How you close your eyes as you crack the biggest, cheekiest smile when I tickle your belly, giggling...

Keep Reading

To My Best Mom Friend, Thanks For Being My Person

Motherhood

To My Best Mom Friend, Thanks For Being My Person

Beautiful, Complicated Motherhood

Motherhood

Parenting Doesn’t Come With an Instruction Manual…That’s Why God Gave Us Mothers

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

Nicole Merritt

Soon There Will Be No More Breakfasts To Make

I’m Going to Tell You the Things Your Mom Should Have Told You

The Half-Dressed Mom and Love in the Details

Mommy, Will You Play With Me?

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

God Carries Me Through the Deep Waters of Change

Faith After a Rare Disease Diagnosis

Good Mothers Bake from Scratch, and Other Lies I’ve Believed

My ‘Dusty Son’ is 5

These Little Moments Are Everything

Get It Now

So God Made a Mother

Parenting Doesn’t Come With an Instruction Manual…That’s Why God Gave Us Mothers

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

Soon There Will Be No More Breakfasts To Make

I’m Going to Tell You the Things Your Mom Should Have Told You

The Half-Dressed Mom and Love in the Details

Mommy, Will You Play With Me?

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

God Carries Me Through the Deep Waters of Change

Faith After a Rare Disease Diagnosis

Good Mothers Bake from Scratch, and Other Lies I’ve Believed

My ‘Dusty Son’ is 5

These Little Moments Are Everything

Previous Post

Next Post

You May Also Like