Her small hands peel back the covers to see if my eyes are open. Gently, I feel her touch against my cheek and she kind of whispers , ”Time to wake up mommy!”
I smile with my eyes closed and roll over. It will take more than her sweetness to convince this tired mama to get out of bed. Hours of driving, sitting on wood bleachers, shouting and cheering for her big brother’s basketball games at a tournament the day before… has worn me out!
I tell Aster it’s still dark and she needs to go back to sleep. Disappointed yet determined, she walks her little self over to the window, feels her way along the curtains for the plastic wand so we can pull them back and show me it is NOT still dark.
Not only is it NOT dark, she decides it is time for breakfast, and she knows just what we can eat.
“Look Mommy!” She said, as she pointed her finger to the parking lot. “Wake up. And eat popcorn. Seeeeeee. There’s a popcorn tree. When you shake it, popcorn falls off!”
Ahhh. Motherhood. It doesn’t come with much sleep, but it does come with popcorn trees. And so many other surprises.
The sweet gift of Aster is one of God’s biggest surprises so far in this motherhood journey of mine. Only He knew how much I needed this girl of mine.
God birthed Aster in our hearts and brought her into our family four years ago, just as our boys crested the waves of teenage manhood. Obviously I needed a little more adventure, a lot more carpooling and a huge dose of unconditional love.
And God made sure I got it! All wrapped up in pink bows, giggles, snuggles, sleepless nights, developmental delays, sweet kisses, celebrations, questions, fears, happy tears, laughter and memories. So.many.memories.
Today I have a surprise and a book for you! It’s my new favorite for the hearts of moms, and others who mother in any capacity. It’s “Surprised by Motherhood“ and it’s written by my friend Lisa-Jo Baker. I’m reading it now, and it’s so much more than a book for moms; it’s dessert and friendship for my soul! Today, her publisher is giving away 5 copies!! But first {this short video} for days when you wonder if what you do matters, when it feels like the same thing stuck on repeat 365 days a year, remember you are braver than you know! Let this be our reminder:
Whether you are a mother, have a mother, or have mothered in some capacity and felt inadequate for the job… this is our shared reminder that there is nothing ordinary about being a mother.
Enter to WIN:
Click “Share Your Thoughts” below and do just that, or shareyour biggest {or most recent} “surprised by motherhood” moments. I’ll randomly choose five winners and announce them here next week. NOTE: If you are reading this via email, click here to return and my blog to enter to enter the giveaway. All entries must be left in the commons on my blog.