A Quick Note to My Sons on This Mother’s Day

Photo: Mayur Gala, unsplash.com

Boys, come over here real quick. I need to tell you something important. Seriously, you can take a break from watching Octonauts and parachuting off the stacks of couch cushions and arguing about pieces of foam for just a minute. That’s all the time I need, one minute. I need to tell you something about your mom.

Your mom is the strongest person I know. I feel so lucky that such a strong woman walked into my life eight years ago and decided to stay. She amazes me every day. These particular days more than ever. Because of that, we have to get this Mother’s Day right. Considering the circumstances, there is probably no way we can get it right, but we have to try. This one, specifically, is important.

You see, your mom is kind of doing it all right now. She is just weeks away from giving birth to your baby sister. You know, the baby sister you’ve both been talking about for months now. For us, she is still just an idea, for your mom, she is very, very real. On top of carrying the baby, which is more than a full-time job in its own right, she is working relentlessly at her job job. The hours have been long and difficult lately and every night when she comes home I can see the toll those long days take. It makes my heart ache. But that’s nothing compared to the way I know her body aches every second. But what’s even more incredible is that even with the work and the baby to deal with, she doesn’t let it affect her time with you. Like I said, she’s still doing it all.

When she works two days in a row and you, Bennett, are asleep when she gets home, she misses you so much.

At the end of each long day or on the in between days when you, Jacob, need mommy because sometimes little boys just need their mommies, she is always there, ready for a hug or a cuddle.

Soon we will have a new addition to our family and maybe her burden will ease just a little. Or maybe it will just get heavier and more difficult to bear. It’s hard to say really. I hope it gets better. I will do my best to make it better. Let’s all try to do our part.

All I know right now is that we need to tell her how much we love and appreciate her this weekend. And tell her that, as much as we possibly can, we understand her sacrifice. Soon there will be more tangible things we can do to help out, but for now, gratitude and understanding is the most we have to offer.

That’s it. See, one minute. Now go ahead back to Octonauts. Mommy will be home from work soon. I promise. And she’ll be ready for a big hug. It is Mother’s Day after all.