10 Things To Love About Motherhood + Free Printable
I know I’ve said it many times before, but I love being a mother! It was my biggest girlhood dream, and the reality has been even better than my dreams.
Even though I’ve had my share of sorrows and difficulties, being a mother is still one of the best things that ever happened to me (in addition to becoming a Christian and getting married to my wonderful husband!).
Here are 10 of my favorite things about motherhood.
Plus, read through to the end for a free motherhood printable!
1. Having Babies
Yes, I just wrote that. 🙂 Despite my terribly miserable pregnancies complete with hyperemesis and migraines and being stuck in bed all day—yes, I still love it!
It’s not that I love the miserable things. I hate being nauseated and vomiting. But, I LOVE the mystery and excitement of a new little addition to our family growing inside my body. It’s completely miraculous.
Especially when you can feel them kicking and squirming and you know that yes, there really and truly is a tiny new human growing inside of you!
I also love so much about those first days with our new babies. Even despite the sleeplessness, it’s still such an amazing time getting to know our new family member.
2. Nursing
I realize it isn’t for everyone (not everyone desires to breastfeed and not everyone is able to), but I cherished the time I was nursing each of our babies. I loved the bond of closeness it fostered.
3. Watching Our Children Learn and Grow
I love watching babies learning to roll over and crawl and then walk. I love watching toddlers run and jump and be silly.
I love receiving little “love notes” from younger children just learning how to write their letters.
I love watching my older children do cartwheels and ride bikes, and I love having meaningful conversations with my teenagers.
Every stage has something to rejoice in.
4. Teaching Our Children to Read
I am so honored that I was able to teach each of our children to read. It’s one of my favorite parts of homeschooling!
My youngest is still learning this skill, so I’m getting to enjoy the experience all over again.
5. Reading Aloud
This is another one of my favorite parts of homeschooling.
There’s nothing like all of us sharing a story together. Especially when it’s a story everyone is really into and when I stop reading everyone yells, “More, more!!” 🙂
6. Little Arms Around My Neck
It may sound cliche, but I love having little arms wrapped around my neck, and wet kisses planted on my cheek!
Now that my children are getting older, I still love having their bigger arms wrapped around my neck or draped across my shoulder.
7. Cuddling With Someone Small
This has been one of my favorite parts of motherhood. When they were toddlers, a few of our children would get up early in the morning and climb into bed and just snuggle up beside me and fall back to sleep contentedly. It was so cozy!
I still love to lay in bed and talk to my youngest before he falls asleep at night. I’ll miss this when they’re all too old to cuddle!
8. Being called “Mom,” and “Mommy”
Maybe it’s because this is a lifelong dream for me, but it satisfies something deep inside whenever I hear someone say, “Mom!” or “Mommy!” It’s music to my ears.
9. Gaining my own “inner circle” full of best friends right in my own home
It’s so wonderful when your children are also your best friends. I don’t mean to imply that we never have conflict (we have our share!), but my children are truly some of my best friends!
I love that we’re not only related, but we actually like each other and have fun together. 🙂
10. Pouring Myself Into Someone Else
Motherhood is beautiful and painful, joyful and sorrowful all at the same time. It’s sanctifying. But I love knowing that motherhood matters for eternity.
Mothering these five precious souls— loving them, teaching them, leading them to Jesus…it’s so important. And I love that. I love knowing that motherhood matters, and what I’m doing here in our home is profoundly needful and beautiful.
Even if it’s just making a meal or doing yet another load of laundry, or mediating another sibling squabble. It’s all important work if we’re doing it for Jesus.
Free Motherhood Printable
I wanted to make you something that would encourage you in your mothering journey. A little reminder. Maybe you could tape it to the refrigerator or slip it inside a page protector in your homemaking binder.
Every time you see it, I hope it reminds you that no matter how hard your day is, motherhood truly is “the grandest vocation in the world!”
Click here to download your free printable!
Make Your Own List!
As we approach Mother’s Day, I’d like to encourage you to make your own list of things you love about motherhood. If you’re not a mother yourself, you could make a list of things you appreciate about your mother (or a mother figure in your life) and then thank her for all she has done for you!
What a beautiful post, Joy. I used to think I was ‘strange’ for enjoying the things you have mentioned in your post. I thought that because all I would hear was complaining about being a mother and pregnancy. I love that you say you and your children are best friends. We are best friends in this house, too. Thanks for sharing on Grace and Truth.
Thanks so much for the encouragement, Aimee! We definitely need more positive input about motherhood to combat all the negativity.
I love all these as well! I am just starting to slowly teach my first to read and I can’t believe what a privilege and honour it is, and the joy when something clicks for him.
Coming via Grace + Truth 😀
So glad you stopped by, Sarah!
What a lovely post. Motherhood is a true gift. Thanks for linking up at Welcome Home Wednesdays! See you tomorrow!
Thank you, Erin! 🙂
I’m not a mom, but it’s so nice to read about mothers who embrace and enjoy the role. I love the printable too; I have some mom friends I may need to print this off for! 🙂
Thank you, Whitney! Feel free to share the printable with your mom friends! 🙂
PS I hope you will consider linking up with us at Literacy Musing Mondays: http://maryanderingcreatively.com/special-quotes-oswald-chambers-mothers-day/
Thanks for the invitation, Mary!
Beautiful post. I love having a best friend in my daughter. She is entering her teen years. I am taking a back-seat to friends as she tries to find some independence and developing her own identity.
Thank you, Mary! It’s so wonderful to be best friends with your teens, isn’t it? This month we will have 3 teenagers in our home, and I’m loving this new stage of motherhood.
I just got done with a rough pregnancy followed by a rough and too early delivery with my second child. My first child is in a “wonderful” stage. Did you know that 4yr olds know everything? lol. I highly dislike the newborn stage and really don’t like having to sit still and hold a baby most of the time. In short, I’m really struggling with motherhood right now. While my list would look very different from yours, I needed to read that motherhood isn’t all hard and frustrating. Thank you for sharing. (visiting from Welcome Home Wednesday)
You’re in a very intense stage of mothering! My children are now 16, 14, 12, 10, and 6, so I’m in a different life-stage right now. It does get easier (and harder!). Each stage has its own set of challenges and joys. If you invest in your little ones now, you may be enjoying beautiful friendships with them as they get older! Of course there will be new challenges then, but it’s also a lot of fun! 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by, Julie!
Love the printable! I have a lot of the same likes.
I’m so glad you like it, Sherry! Thanks so much for stopping by today!