Mother's Day 2012-Hope

Today is Mother's Day. And what an absolutely perfect day it has been.

(Yes. He has his pappy. Yes it is in broad daylight. In public. He was nap-deprived and we were crammed into a booth at Texas Roadhouse and I couldn't eat my Rattlesnake Bites because he was a cranky tank. Pleaseexcuseme.)

I can't decide if it has something to do with the new matching wedges-with-giant-flowers-on-the-toes my mom and I got yesterday on our marathon shopping day, or the hydrangeas that sit on my nightstand whispering "I love you Mommy", or the handmade card containing this picture:

with a crayon scribbled quote that says "This is my most favorite place to be Mommy", or the heavenly cinnamon rolls Hubs brought to me in bed this morning, or the perfectly chosen worship songs I got to sing with my Starbucks Cake Pop in church this morning (12 Stone, you have blessed us once again).

Big Love and Little Love made today just as sweet as it ever could be. Hugs and kisses and "I love yous" and "thank yous".

(Mother's Day-ish 2011)

In the midst of it all, I have whispered prayers of thankfulness and gratitude a million times over.

The same God who has carried us the past few weeks, also made it possible for me to become a Mama just two short years ago. The same God who served as our rock and foundation while Chris lost all of his hair and became weaker than we knew he was capable of, moved mountains 11 years ago and made us blind-checking neighbors, college kids who fell madly in love.

I used to be fearful. Fearful of not being able to fill our house with little voices and tiny footsteps. I have been consumed with fear over the last year as we tried to get pregnant again. The odds were stacked against us. Our hearts cried out for a baby and our faith backed us every step of the way. But I was scared.

Ella Grace came along and gave me HOPE. Hope as a Mama. There she was. Within two seconds of tee-teeing on a stick and seeing those double pink lines, my hope was renewed. God's promise was there all along but I finally believed it with every inch of my being.

12 sweet weeks. Regardless of what our outcome was, Ella Grace was given to us for a purpose. A mighty purpose.

So today I am not fearful. Nope. Ella Grace fixed that. My heart is crying out that we might be blessed once more and that we might be able to hear just a few more pitter patters of footsteps, but I'm not scared.

Being a mom is the most incredible of gifts I have ever been given. I can't imagine what my life would be like without this longing fulfilled. So this Mother's Day, 2012, I stand with hope. I am thanking God for giving us Cooper and for allowing me the honor of being his Mama. I will thrive to take the moments we are given, and make them great. I will build his character, instill his dreams, and most importantly, stir his appetite for our mighty God.

Happy Mother's Day sweet friends!