Happy Mother's Day!

I've always secretly envied those moms who, with great purpose and intention, are the very picture of grace and gentleness.  I myself fell headlong into motherhood after looking at my husband and thinking, "Well, why not?"  Hardly a verse for a Mother's Day card.
Six months after the birth of my Why not? baby I was expecting again.  This time, looking at my husband and thinking, "Good grief, we need to watch more television."
All these years later, I have no photographs of sweet baby bumps or little baby feet held in daddy's hands. 
What I have are memories of knowing how to do what I had no idea how to do; be a mom.
I have what I have always had, a sureness in my soul that I could do this.
I come from a long line of women who respected no boundaries when it came to their children and grandchildren.  Who are touchers and scolders and cooks and prayer warriors.  And who were rarely the very picture of grace and gentleness.
I inherited a mother's heart that laughs with her children until she cries and who makes a home whose walls wrap its sons and daughters in a tight embrace.  No gentleness in the way we hold our babies.
If my wishes are granted, there will be more little ones running across my back yard and picking flowers with chubby grubby hands and looking up to see a fortress surrounding their little lives in the form of mama and daddy and gramma and grampa and great gramma and grampa...and their little spirits will settle within them, peaceful and happy.
They will have to settle for undignified laughter instead of graceful sweetness.  They will learn to be held tightly instead of gently.
Thank you Mom (who I often call Pat just for irritation's sake,) for teaching me to be a mom.
Happy Mother's Day.