Mother's Day, Blessings Abound

Overflowing.  That was my heart on Saturday night as I went through photos on my computer gathering up pictures of me with my birds.  I am unbelievably blessed.  May brings so many sweet memories with it . . . my firstborn arrived in May, barely missing Mother's Day, yet making me a mama for the first time ever on May 17, 1986.  It was a sunshiny Saturday in Mountain Home, Idaho . . . I had no idea of the capacity of my heart to fall head over heals in love in an instant!  I was Bryce's mom!  So proud of my baby boy then, and even prouder of my survival guy now!

Two years later, "It's a GIRL!"  And my Taylor blessing arrived just in time for Mother's Day-- added with our May anniversary and Bryce's birthday, Taye's arrival tripled the celebratory count! I was the mom of a beautiful baby girl, and a curley haired two-year-old boy.  That baby girl grew up way too fast, married a great man, and now has a tiny life growing inside her.  A tiny heartbeat beating with her own. My Taylor girl is going to be a mama.  Oh how sweet life is!

And then came Brady!  Making me the busy mommy (with daddy frequently deployed) of a kindergartner, a preschooler --who rocked the big sister roll, and a little man who was brought into this world to show me just how much I hadn't learned about being a mom.  Let me just say that I believe that the Lord uses each of our children to help shape us as moms--but Brady broke my mold and started over!  It's scary stuff sometimes, parenting a kid who has his own ideas about how the world should turn.  But you know what?  Brady caused me to grow in ways that I never would have on my own.  In good ways.   Thank you Brady for challenging me.  It's hard for me to believe, but in less than two weeks my handsome third blessing will say, "I do" to the special girl the Lord has chosen for him.  Oh how I I love this about-to-be-married-boy!

Life cruised on . . . we were parenting two teens and a middle schooler, but someone was missing . . . two someones to be exact. And then along came Brogan, born two months after my 41st birthday.  Such a miraculous blessing.  Where would we be without our Brogie boy?  Beloved little brother.  God had already promised Teddi to my heart (though I hadn't found her yet) when Brogan entered our world-- just nine months and thirteen days ahead of his sister's birth in China.  Three more prayerful years would pass before the Lord would reveal His promise, but she was oh so worth the wait . . .

Sweet Teddi.  It will be four years this coming Saturday since I held our little China bird for the very first time--one of the best May days of my life!  Oh that the Lord would see fit to bestow upon me the honor and privilege of being Teddi's mama, He is good.  Adoption is His heart, and my how it has blessed our nest.  Theadora, you are a gift straight from your Heavenly Father's heart!

And then there were five!

On Mother's Day I had my Taylor and the littles 

home with me (and Frankie for a wee bit) 

and it was a wonderful day!  

Any day that starts like this . . .

has to be good!

Thank you big sis, donut deliverer!  

You're the best!

We had a great morning at church,

 followed by Texas barbecue,

 a movie with the littles,

 fun gifts . . .

and precious phone calls 

from my big boys.

It was a good, good day!

But come next week . . . oh next week . . . in a great big rental house, on a river near Roseburg, Oregon all of my birds will be gathered in one sweet place!  All of them-- for the first time in 17 months, for the wedding of my middle man, Brady.  My full May heart is fixin' (as they say here in Texas) to get about as full as it can get!  Overflowing indeed.

Lastly I must add a thank you to my sweet mama, for without her, there would be no me.  Thank you Mumsy for giving me life.  For showing me by your actions how to be a good mom. For teaching me about Jesus.  For loving me just the way the Lord made me to be.  And for reminding me that laughter is the wisest way to tackle life, and win!  I love you with all my heart.

To my children, Bryce, Taylor, Brady, Brogan and Teddi, thank you for blessing my heart bigger than I can put into words.  I am so proud of each one of you.  I LOVE being your mom!

To my son-in-love Frankie, and my soon-to-be-daughter-in-love Sloane--I am so thankful that God has chosen me to be your mother-in-love.  I pray that I can do this as well as my own mother-in love.  Thank you, Sue, for being the best example.

Thank you Father for the blessing of motherhood,

because of its treasure 

I am rich beyond measure.

Blessings from my nest ~

Tina