First Mother's Day

What a memorable day to dedicate Rémy to God. I'll always remember this special day, the laughter, tears and shared words of wisdom. Many of our family and friends joined us on this day and many happy pictures and precious moments were captured.



I had been planning and organizing this for weeks, anticipating this moment in our lives. I was unprepared for my response. As Walker and Rémy and I are standing in line with the other parents' waiting to dedicate their children the responsibility of motherhood and being a parent hit me all of a sudden. I am a MAMA to a child. Whoa. And while it would be easy for me to sit passively by her side, just to feed her and change her diaper and do nothing more, we've got to take the more active approach, even if it is more difficult. Leading, guiding, preparing, promoting, encouraging. With each of these things comes added responsibility. Am I leading and guiding her in the RIGHT way? What is the right way? Am I preparing her for life, for friendships, for healthy eating habits, for living to be her best self, for good decision making, for sadness and hurt. These are the things that you don't think about when you're pregnant. You think about all the changes going on, and the growth she's making and maybe the birth, or starting a savings plan for her education. In the overall sense, it seems to be that parenthood is a season, like any other season in our lives. There are times of growth, times of endurance, times of stagnation. If we learned it all at once, what good would it be...we learn what we need for the journey along the way, as we are living it.

Just as I was drying my tears, Walker and I noticed the family in front of us. They are dedicating 2 children. The mom is holding a small boy, less than a year old. The dad is talking to the family in front of them, leaving a 2 year old girl to entertain herself. We watched her as she slid one arm out of her dress, then the next arm. She looked around at her parents, and realizing they weren't paying any attention, pushed her dress down to her waist. Then she paused again and looked up at her parents....still engrossed in other things. She pushed her dress to the ground and hopped out of it. By that time the crowd was laughing and wondering what they were laughing at the dad turned to see his daughter in her bloomers! Once the daughter caught the dad's eye she took off running. He grabbed her dress and leapt after her, apologizing along the way. We couldn't stop laughing, it was so funny! As ill-prepared as I feel at this moment to parent a 2 year old, or a 10 year old, or a 16 year old, that's not where I am right now. I don't need to worry about those things. When those times come, I'll be prepared. But sometimes, there are things as a parents you just can't prepare for....like stripping down to your bloomers and running free through the church!