Blessed Mothers

With Mother's Day just around the corner, I have been thinking a lot about my mom and being a mother. I have also thought a lot about my friends that are mothers, single mothers raising children, and widowed mothers.

My husband had to take a last minute work trip to Pueblo, Colorado, on Monday. He left around 1:30pm on Monday, and returned around 11:00pm on Tuesday night. The drive took eight hours from Price to Pueblo, and he had to drive it alone.

I have never liked to be in an empty house by myself. Even as a teenager, if I knew I was going to be home alone at night, I would try to invite a friend over or go to a friends house so I wouldn't be alone. I hated the night noises the house would make, and I always felt like there was someone in my house. I don't know if this ever happens to you, but sometimes I feel like I see people out of the corner of my eye. In fact, a lot of the time it startles me enough that I start to get nervous that there is an intruder in my home.

Paranormal? Maybe.

Crazy? Probably.

Anyway, for these reasons, I used to check under my bed before going to sleep, and I always had to make sure my closet doors are closed before I go to sleep. Now that I am older, I don't check under the bed, but I still have to make sure the closet doors are closed. My husband teases me that I close the doors to make sure the Boogey Man doesn't come out to get me. He's right, too.

So, on Monday, I was nervous about being home alone at night with Jader. I didn't want to sleep at night without my husband. Really, it was more about lying in bed at night and making myself worry over all the noises the house made, wondering if there was someone in the house. For this reason, I tried to wear myself out during the day. I wanted to be able to hit my pillow at night and fall directly to sleep. Thankfully, that is just what happened. I was so busy during the day, and did a lot of gardening, exercising, cleaning, etc., that I was so tired I fell right to sleep that night. I couldn't even stay awake long enough to read my book.

This even surprised me, because I accidentally left the sliding glass door open when I went to the store after softball practice. I picked up Jader from the baby sitter, stopped by the house to pick up some things for errands, and left the door open (but didn't recall leaving it open). I came home from the store, and was surprised to see the back door wide open. Of course, I searched all the dark corners and hiding spaces in my house to make sure we didn't have an intruder. Of all the nights I happen to accidentally leave the door open, it had to happen on a night that I would be alone and already had apprehension about it.

Thankfully I slept well, Jader slept well, and we got through the two days without incident. This brings me to the purpose of my post.

Being alone always makes me realize how grateful I am for my husband and his role in my life. I am so thankful for my husband and how active he is in being a father and a husband. I am thankful that he has a job that allows him to work 8-5, and that he has a lot of flexibility. He can come home early if I need him, stay home if I am sick, or go in late if I have appointments, etc. I am grateful that he doesn't have to travel for work very often.

I have friends whose husbands have to travel, and be away from home, for more than 15 days of the month. My own father would work for months at a time in the mountains during the summer months, leaving my mom at home with the kids. She would pack up us children and take us to her mother's house for the month so she wouldn't have to be alone. I can't even imagine one month without my husband. I can hardly stand one night!

I have so much respect for mother's that are raising their children by themselves. Whether they are widowed, divorced, never married, or are 'single' in the sense that their husbands are working full-time and going to school full-time.

The last scenario mentioned was always my biggest fear when I was first married. I knew I wanted to wait to have children until my husband was finished with school. For this reason, we were married five years before we had Jader. I couldn't imagine myself at home trying to raise a child without a husband there to help. My husband's father had to quit school to help support his family after his wife had their first child. He was never able to go back. He has lived a rich and fulfilling life, but I wonder how differently it would have been for him if he had received an education.

Obtaining an education was always a big deal to me. I was very academically driven in high school. I was a straight A student. I tried really hard to get all A's in college, but I think I averaged out all my grades in college and I was a B+ student (almost A-). Not too shabby, given that my degree was based on courses in math and science (Geology). I took a lot of really hard classes. Chemistry, Physics, Calculus, Mineralogy, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, Statistics, Structural Geology, etc..I wanted to quit college more than once, and each time my father talked me in to trying harder and completing my degree. I can honestly say that if it weren't for him, I probably would have been a college dropout. He was my inspiration to complete my degree. I did it for him. I am so glad I did, too.

I'm veering off point, again. I just want to say to you mom's reading this blog, that whatever your situation is, whether your husband is gone working all the time, whether he is a full-time student and employee, whether you are a widow, divorced, or never-married mom, I know you are doing the best you can to raise your child(ren) and I applaud you for that. Keep your chin up. Keep up the good work. Know that you are your child(ren's) Mom and that you are doing your best for your child(ren).

Being a mother is a very difficult role. But, I'm sure you will agree with me when I say it is all worth it. To be a mother is a tremendous blessing. I know that I wouldn't be the same person I am right now if I didn't have the responsibility of raising a child. I love it and wouldn't change it for the world. May God bless all the Mother's in the world! We rock!

And, if for some reason you have not been blessed to be a mother in this life time, believe me when I say your time will come.