As far as I’m concerned, motherhood is the best thing that can happen to women. When you become a mom, you become the person you never thought you are capable of becoming. You become patient, understanding, loving, caring and most importantly, selfless. These traits you might already possess previously but the capacity in which you are able to practice and express them you will never know unless you have kids come out of you. Mothers have instincts so amazing that no man ever dare argue about its existence. Its just there. From the time we find out from that two stripes in the pregnancy test kit that a new life has began inside of us, we start taking responsiblity of the precious blessing entrusted to us by God.
Taking care of a child inside our wombs and bringing them into this world is one thing, but raising them up is another thing altogether. They start out cuddly and helpless, but before you know it, they have grown up so fast, right before your very eyes! (Check out my photo album). I cringe at the thought of my sons becoming teenagers and courting girls. God forbid they start at 15! (im looking at 40). I cringe some more at the possibility of them becoming interested in serving the military. This early I talk them out of it and discourage them although Lance my eldest once told me that if I don’t want him to become a soldier, he’d be fine becoming a security guard 
Carl wants to become a horse, and when i clarified the question and asked him again, when he grows big (not anymore up), what does he want to become, he says "big? okay, giraffe then." Case closed.
I know i cannot forever be choosing for them, i just have to keep my fingers crossed. It scares the hell out of me thinking what kind of big guys they will become, what kind of friends they will meet, etc. But i get comforted by the fact that what they grow up to be is in Jof’s and my hands (at least while they are young). It is tough, but the paradox of it is while we complain of the difficulties, we enjoy the process. We fume at the noise, but miss it when its not there. While we can’t wait for them to grow up, we dread the day when they totally cut off the umbilical cord. I said "they" because i know we mothers will not be the ones to cut it. No way.
Next week i will be on official overseas trip, and as usual, my ever protective husband was telling me a litany of what not to do, where not to go, etc. But his reminders are all realistic. And then I called to inform my mom. After asking me all the details, she told me this: "Remember not to accept and eat any food from people you do not know, and be careful not to follow strangers". I nearly fell off my seat, because those are the same words she tells me as far back as i can remember (i was 4?). Of course i laughed, but deep inside, now that iam a mother myself, i understand perfectly, for who is to say that she is wrong in saying that to me, and who can tell if i will never do the same thing when my kids are all grown up. You can ask all the mothers, but no way we will cut the umbilical cord…….
To mama, mamita, jolana, tess, ann marie, JIA mothers and all the mothers out there - Happy Mother’s Day!!!
