A thousand words....

A thousand wouldn't be enough to describe motherhood. Motherhood is, for me, basic but complex, wonderfully sweet and dreadfully dark. The highs and lows are so intense... There is a reason that all mothers tell moms-to-be that they simply won't understand it until they experience it!

A thousand words might not be enough to even describe this picture, alone. But I'll try, as 5 Minutes for Mom is hosting a Mother's Day photo contest.




After having 2 boys and then a surgery on my ovaries, I wasn't sure if we could ever have any more children, let alone the girl that we were blessed with. To say that I was thrilled and ecstatic is putting it mildly. But to say that Evan, my youngest then, was overjoyed isn't doing justice to his emotions, either. He was only 3, but so very, very accepting of the fact that there was a baby in my belly, and that he was her big brother. So understanding, in fact, that he had entire conversations with his sister, shared toys with her, sang her songs and even gave her raspberries (teasing before birth! Poor baby!). In fact, this picture looks as though it is capturing a tender moment between mother and son, which it is.... but, moments later? Just moments later, my stomach was soaking wet from a big juicy raspberry he gave his sister. To me, this picture and the photos following it are documenting the beginning of their relationship and of mine as a mom to 3 children...