Walking into a hug...

LOVE -- what a Happy word!

That simple word can bring so many feelings, stir so many emotions, bring to remembrance such tender memories, can inspire within us the desire to create magical moments in our lives.

Love comes in various forms; the love we have for our spouse, the love we feel as a mother, the love we possess for friends, for extended family.

I feel a great urgency to focus on the sweet children in my life, to nurture within myself the love that I, as a mother, have for our children; to strengthen and renew the relationships I have with each of them. This is an ever challenging battle (especially if you are Momma to teenagers). I say that with a smile in my heart, because I truly feel blessed knowing that my kids and I are close, everything is not perfect (I’d be lying to you if I said it were, but it’s pretty darn close and I am pleased to say that!)

Even with that little comment, I can see where I have a lot of room for growth, for improvement. My goal would be that my kids NEVER doubted my love and devotion to them. That they always felt they were of upmost importance in my world. That they could FEEL the love I hold in my heart for each of them. I would hope that they would always feel that they were walking right into a hug as they approach me. I know that I fail at this more often than I’d care to admit.

Being the Mom is not as easy as I had once imagined it might be…

the flip side...it is more rewarding than I had ever dreamed possible

!

With the choice we’ve made to have our kids home with us instead of away at the local school…we spend practically every waking moment in their presence. BUT, if you are anything like me, life is full and we can tend to “be there” without “being available” to them.

Do you light up when your son walks into the room, do you stop to listen to your little girl as she shows off her latest work of creativity? Do you quickly and happily pay attention when the prodding from a little person calls for you, or do you hush them asking for just another minute before you get to them?

The past few weeks have taught me some very powerful lessons. I have been found very guilty of putting my kids off until I have a moment for them, my little one came to me the other day with a desperate sort of tone in her voice; apparently she had been trying to speak to me and I was in my own little world…this was not acceptable to her! Yes, she does believe she should be the center of my universe and I will not disagree, but at this moment my thoughts were anywhere but where they should have been focused. I was grateful for the not-so-gentle reminder that I was unavailable as the Momma at that point and time.

Unfortunately, not all children will remind us in such a way…some may just give up and find the challenge of obtaining our attention a useless cause. I am recognizing this in some of my kiddos and am determined to make sure they know that I am available for them, that they are a priority in my world, that other things can wait and they don’t need to.

During this lovely month of February, my goal is to provide an environment in which my children really will feel as though they’ve walked into a hug as they approach me…I want them to feel all warm and fuzzy inside…I want them to take those feelings with them, to be strengthened by the comfort that comes with knowing you are loved.

(Written as President Message for DHSA-Feb.)