Mother's Day

I guess this holiday is about celebrating myself. I am a mother of three after all. And my boys did do so much to make me feel appreciated. Brad bought me the coolest WW2 victory garden posters and framed them for the new house. They are awesome. He also took care of me all week-end, made me dinner, rented a chick flick and watched it with me WHILE giving me a massage! Ben made me an adorable clay heart necklace and wrote "XO" on it all by himself. Des painted me a flower and put it in a flowerpot that his teachers helped him make with pictures made out of his fingerprints.

But honestly, to me, this holiday is so much more about other people. Those that help me in MY journey of being a mom. And there are SO many.

Obviously my three beautiful, incredible babies. I kept telling Ben thank you all day long. It is because of him that I even became a mother. These three souls have changed me more than any other thing in my life. They challenge me, encourage me, motivate me, and push me to the limit. I do EVERYTHING in my life for them and them alone.

But there are so many more that help me be a mother. My hubbie. He makes my job as a mother manageable. I sit in wonder of women who are able to do this alone because I could never. I am so grateful for my partner. He is an incredible daddy, but he also makes me a better mommy.

There is my mommy. She taught me how to even do any of this. She is the most incredible model of unconditional love, unwavering support, open affection, and endless encouragement. It is because of her that I thought I could do anything in life. And I want so bad for my kids to feel the same. She was always (and still is) my very biggest fan.

*G. and G. The purest love.

My daddy always made me feel safe and he still does. He was my protector, my shield, but also my source of knowledge. He is the FIRST person I call anytime I need advice. My Mimi offers a place of retreat and always finds a reason to celebrate and a way to make me feel loved. My mother-in-laws who have raised 5 kids between the two of them. They have taught me ways to be a good mother that are different than my own upbringing. I love that I am able to have a different perspective to learn from and they are so supportive and wise. My father-in-law David that shows unending kindness and my step father-in-law Don who never forgets to tell me how much he misses me. I was lucky enough to grow up with the coolest girl on the planet. She continues to teach the importance of having a sibling, a lifelong confidante, and I nurture the sibling relationship between my own kiddos because of her.  My sister-in-law Emily and her two little girls have taught me to find joy in even the hardest of circumstances and when you do, you reap rewards! My aunt shows me how to raise three kiddos without ever losing your cool and that family is and should always "be there."

*A group of 5 Jones women can get crazy...crazy in a good way.


I have a sister, sisters-in-law, and three brother-in-laws that love their niece and nephews more than anything and show them in so many ways. I love having these aunts and uncles to show off my kiddos to!

I have a best friend who is an incredible godmother. I have good, good, girlfriends that keep me sane. I have girl cousins that now have children of their own that I look up to. I have "mommy friends" to vent to and play with and get advice from. I have a church that keeps my priorities in check. I am so, so lucky. I have this incredible support system that helps me in so many ways.

*Constant doting. Constant. 

*The two twins.

The day I found out I was pregnant with Ben changed my life, but the day he was born changed my heart. Every mother out there knows what I mean when I say there are no words to describe the ways I am different now. I have purpose and meaning and true joy. 

And that has only multiplied with Desmond and Genevieve joining our family. It's strange but it's as if they were always a part of us...they have only made us happier. More tired, but happier. I seriously couldn't be happier. Three beautiful, wonderful, and very different children...They are all that interest me any more!

All day this Mother's Day I just kept reflecting on how being a mommy goes so much further than the relationship between myself and my babies. I am beyond grateful for the other people in my life that teach me, help me, guide me, and support me in my role. I want nothing more than to be the best mommy I can be and it takes a slew of people to help me get there. 

To think back to all the people that helped bring me up, to watch all the people influence others now, to   try so hard to embody unconditional love, to teach acceptance, to model kindness, to celebrate EVERY milestone, to encourage, to love wastefully, nurture, and to simply mother, in every sense of the word.

*Aunt Pam and her Desi. She agrees he gives the world's best hugs.

Thank you to everyone in my life that help me in so many ways. Trust me there are so many I didn't mention. And thank God for sending you my way.  Because seriously... just when looking at my babies, I want nothing more than to succeed at this whole motherhood business.

*My sunshine.