Mother's Day

Today was a special day- my first Mother's Day!
A year ago, we hadn't even started our adoption journey, so being a mom on Mother's Day was still a dream. I'd never imagine that just 365 days later I'd be celebrating my first Mothers Day with my son! How cool is God?!

My MawMaw and PawPaw came up yesterday to see number one great grandbaby and spend the night with us. We went to dinner last night with Nick's mom and dad and Granny (who hadn't met Bates yet) to celebrate Mothers Day.

Today we went to church this morning and Bates braved the nursery. We didn't get paged out of service, but he was crying when we picked him up. The nice nursery workers said he just kinda whined the whole time and would cry when they wiped his nose. He has what I thought was allergies, but now I'm thinking might be a cold so his nose has been super runny and the boy HATES for you to wipe it!

Today we dedicated our new sanctuary, Three Crosses, at church and man what a great service! Charlie Daniels was a special musical guest and that man ROCKED it!

After church we headed to my sisters house. She hosted a backyard bbq for all our family and her inlaws. It was nice to have my mom, dad, brothers, sister, and all my grandparents in from Memphis. Bates was the center of attention, of course! He hammed it up! He likes attention, for sure!

Tonight after dinner and bath time, we did a little mother's day project. Every year on Mothers Day, we will release two balloons in honor of Bates' birth mom and foster mom. Bates and I traced his hands on two cards and wrote "Happy Mothers Day! Love, Bates". Years down the road I will let Bates write whatever he wants. We went in the backyard and attached his notes and away the balloons went. I'm hoping that those balloons float all the way to Korea and those two specials moms know that we were thinking of them.

All day today, Bates birth mom and his foster mom were on my mind. I look at this boy so happy and fun and my heart breaks that they won't experience this joy of raising him. I know God's hand ordained this, but it's still heartbreaking that my first Mothers Day came at the cost of such a heartbreaking and brave decision 16 mths ago. These two women, his birth mom and foster mom, gave me the ultimate gift, my son. They both loved him enough to do what was best for him, no matter how painful. I pray that Bates will know these two women love him and never doubt their love for him. He is a lucky little boy that has three mothers and I'm so grateful that I'm his forever mom. Today at church someone said to Bates, you sure are a lucky little boy, but they are wrong- I'm the lucky one!

I know some moms want a break on Mother's Day. They enjoy a "day off" from being mom, but that's not my style. I wanted all day with my son! Why would I want a day off from one of the greatest blessing in my life? I waited years to be a mom and that is not a "job" I want a day off from. And to boot, I have a kickin' hubby who really steps up on a daily basis to make my "mom" job so much easier.Today might be Mother's Day on the calendar but every day when I look into those almond shaped eyes, I'm so grateful to be Bates' mom- everyday- even when we are awake at 4 am!