Things we didn't fully appreciate from our moms...until we became moms.
Now that we're rocking our mom jeans and mom boobs, we can say that there are definitely some things our moms did that we took for granted. We're not sure how they made it through all these years with us and still have the energy to be right there by our sides, supporting us in every way possible (my mom is even watching the girls right now so I can focus on this blog post).
There are a million things we could share that our moms have done that we maybe didn't appreciate at that point in our lives. But now that we're here, we have more respect for everything they have done - not just for us, but for themselves as well.
To all the mamas out there, especially ours, thank you for being incredible role models. We love you from the bottom of our hearts and we hope we're making you proud!
What Chandler Took For Granted
HONESTY
My mom has always been brutally honest. I’m talking the kind of honest that when you ask for her opinion, you better be prepared. The kind that sometimes just down-right pisses you off when you hear it, but after you let it sink in, you know in your gut she’s probably right. And after having kids, I have a whole new appreciation for how hard this really is to do.
When I go shopping with anyone besides my mom, it’s usually a fun-filled afternoon. Shopping with my mom is...a whole different ballgame. She actually left me at the mall one time because it took me too long to find jeans that fit. But to this day, when I need an honest opinion, she’s the one I call. Love my friends, but they aren’t going to be the ones to tell me “it’s not that flattering” or “that color just washes you out.”
My mom is the one who will say the hard things when no one else can. My friends weren’t the ones to tell me that I should probably start wearing deodorant because I was stinky. And surprisingly, it wasn’t my friends that took me to the OBGYN because I was going to college and should probably get on the pill (again, she was right).
Of course these situations are frustrating, but I have always known that my mom, more than anyone, has my best interest at heart and she wouldn’t say things just to hurt my feelings. Now that I have two daughters, I can only imagine how hard it will be to have some of these conversations, but I hope to remain just as honest as my mom and that my girls know I only have their best interests at heart.
PATIENCE
I’m not talking about taking deep breaths while my toddlers are throwing fits. I’m talking about the lifelong level of patience you need to develop with children. The kind that only a seasoned mother will ever have. The mothers that have made it through the teenage years of sneaking out, college years of partying, adult years of heartbreak, and still have the patience to listen to their children and love them unconditionally.
There are days that my patience is thin, but I’m hoping someday (hopefully really soon), I’ll be able to let the smaller things roll off my back and laugh my way through life just like my mama.
DEDICATION
Before kids, I was dedicated to a lot of things - fun and cool things. Now I’m dedicated to blowing on food that is too hot and making sure Elsa dresses are clean. Did I imagine my life like this? Not really. But I’m sure my mom didn’t either.
My mom recently picked up her entire life and moved out here to Portland because she is so dedicated to her family. Even though she lives 5 minutes away now, she’s still the first person I call when I’m crying because I know she will ALWAYS be there for me.
What Lauren Took For Granted
SACRIFICE
I always knew that having children involved a fair amount of sacrifice, like sacrificing your free time and fewer date nights, things like that. However it wasn’t until I became a mother that I truly understood and appreciated the sacrifices my mom made while raising me and my siblings. What mom has time for personal dreams and hobbies when she’s shuttling three kids to soccer, piano, and swim team, not to mention a house to clean, endless laundry to fold, and home cooked meals to make? NO MOMS. Certainly not MY mom.
Now that isn’t to say it was all work and no fun. We spent long summers at the lake house, fishing and floating in the warm water. My mom makes it her goal to get up on water skis at least once every summer. She’s had lifelong friendships in her book club for 20+ years (their records only go back to 2000). Plus, she and my dad regularly utilized babysitters when we were little and went out every Friday night. So I KNOW they squeezed in some fun every chance they got. But despite all that, my mom’s sacrifices were real and made even more evident if you look at how she’s embraced her newfound free time since all her children have grown. Which brings me to perseverance.
PERSEVERANCE
The minute us kids were out of the house living our ‘adult’ lives, my mom went back to work on her own pursuits. She literally NEVER GAVE UP her dreams. When I was old enough to start babysitting my siblings, about 6th grade, my mom went back to school to become a nurse. She completed her Associates Degree in Nursing and began working full-time. However, she had never completed her Bachelor’s Degree. So about 10 yrs ago she decided to go back to school and finally complete her Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts. At the same time she decided she had always wanted to learn how to play the piano. So she hired our old piano teacher, Mary Welch, and began taking lessons. THEN my mom decided that she wanted to get a Bachelor of Science of Nursing to build upon her nursing degree. She is currently enrolled in a BSN program, knocking out credit hours and having her papers published in medical journals while she’s at it. Rather than setting her sights on retirement, she’s making up for lost time. The phrase ‘can’t stop, won’t stop’ describes my mom so well it kills me. But I know all her years of pushing us to achieve our goals, do our chores, and not take no for an answer made us who we are today.
May 14, 2019 • Posted by Christie
Aww thanks, Lauren. Wouldn’t trade a minute of it! I love being your mom and you make me proud every day.
May 14, 2019 • Posted by Anonymous
Thank you for honoring us in your blog. I’m sitting here with misty eyes reminiscing about the wonderful memories we created together, but not tearing up about spending 7 hours at the mall jean shopping. Yep, you got left 🤣😂🤣