I love that the FIRST person I get to share with all of you is one of my sisters-in-law, Laura! I will never forget the day when her daughter was born, we were all up at the hospital & we were finally able to go into her room to see her & meet the new babe. I asked how she was feeling & she said with the world’s most SERIOUS face, “Michaela…they lie to you. They tell you it’s not so bad & that it doesn’t hurt. It FREAKING hurts! It FREAKING hurts so bad!” She has always been the one to give it to me straight & I so greatly appreciate that. She now has two adorable little babes, Addison (4) & Cash (2) & it’s been so fun to see her grow in her role as a mom & to see her love on her babes.
What does it mean to you to be a mom?
Being a mom to me is about raising these little humans we call our children into respectable, kind & loving adults. It’s about being consistent and present and being what I call in the game. My dad always says “I may not have been the best but I was always in the game and you can never say I didn’t try” (Even though I believe I won the lottery with the parents God gave me).
Being a mom means teaching my kids to be strong- this world is not always a friendly place and it’s our job to prepare them for the harsh reality of the real world. It’s about teaching them to love and about acceptance for themselves and others- it doesn’t matter how alike or different some people may be.
Being a mom is teaching them that no matter what happens in this world you never give up, you strive for greatness and learn from our mistakes and to always believe in yourself. Being a mom is about love, the love a mom has for her children is indescribable, the bond is unbreakable and only a mom will ever know what this feeling I speak of.
What is your favorite part of motherhood?
The unconditional love you have with your children and the love they have for you.
What have you found to be the hardest part of motherhood? Or least favorite part of motherhood?
The hardest part is discipline, I thought I knew how I was going to be as a parent and then you have children and everything’s different. My husband is the strong one and I have learned to stay strong, follow through and not give in when those sweet little ones come crawling at your feet.
If you could compare motherhood to one thing, what would it be?
A rollercoaster. It’s full of ups and downs, exciting yet terrifying some days but yet one hell of a ride that you want to do over and over again.
In the spirit of encouraging & celebrating each other – what is one piece of advice you would give to a new mom?
Enjoy every moment, don’t worry about the housework, laundry, the messy house, that can all wait. Treasure the snuggles, enjoy the “one more kiss” before bed (I swear some days we have that “one more kiss” about 50 times) and don’t put pressure on yourself to be the best mom, your perfect in the eyes of your kids. Social media is a snippet into someone’s lives and most Pinterest projects don’t turn out the way we all thought they would.
Based on your child’s or children’s personality at this very moment – what would there high school superlative be?
Addison will be hell on wheels, she is strong-willed, she is determined, she is loving and has a heart of gold but I see myself spending many of nights waiting up for her. She will be an independent strong woman one day.
Cash will be that big teddy bear who is the all-around nice guy. His heart is as big as he is round. He is my big soft boy, he is tenderhearted and sensitive, yet all boy, he is so strong, isn’t afraid to take risks and so adventurous.
If you had an afternoon to yourself, what would we find you doing?
Shopping – the first stop is always Target!!
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
I could fly, I spend too much time driving and patience is NOT my strong suit.
What are some of the items on your bucket list?
Attend the Olympics, run a half marathon, go to the Superbowl!
Nickname your parents used to call you?
My twin sister, Julia and I, were called Fred & Bill! I don’t know how it really started but it stuck!
I know I’m biased because she’s my sister-in-law & these are my niece & nephew – but this family is just so incredible! They are the kind of people where you can call them on a whim & there’ll be there to help out in any way they can. Laura is constantly, CONSTANTLY putting other people before herself, which just goes to show her heart of gold. Also, she’s a nurse & she never makes me feel weird for asking “nurse” questions — that right there is a special thing!
Thanks for stopping by, friends!
Grit & Grace Blog 