As rewarding and amazing as motherhood is, it is just as challenging.
Moms are wonderful creatures.
I think God gave us these incredible abilities to care for another human being—one who is part of you, but also entirely their own individual.
In my experience over the past 21 years, the hardest part of motherhood has been letting my babies go.
Eighteen years feels like a long time when you’re in the middle of it, but looking back, it’s gone in the blink of an eye. When my second child left for university, I really struggled to find my footing again. For three months, I fell into a dark pit of sadness. Some days I felt so low, I could do nothing but climb back into bed.
I had never experienced depression before, and I didn’t like it. I knew I had to get out of it, but I couldn’t do anything. All I could do was pray:
“Jesus, help me. I don’t want to feel this way.”
I believe that prayer saved me. It gave me perspective and helped me choose to be present and joyful for my 15-year-old. I was so consumed by my own sadness that I hadn’t noticed his needs—or how much he was missing his siblings, too. Now, I see this time with him as grace years. These three years I have left with our youngest before he leaves home are a gift from God. When he was born, I called him my pudding.
So instead of being sad, I’m thankful—for the joy he brings to our home, and for the sound of music and Instagram reels filling our walls.
In this grace time, I’m also finding myself again. I’m reconnecting with my dreams, getting my business up and running, and using my time to invest in my relationship with God, my husband, and our pudding child.
This is a wonderful new season. A season where I’ve learned another valuable lesson of motherhood: I will always be a mother. I will always have my children, even when they leave the nest. But I also have myself to take care of.
I’ve learned that happiness is a decision.
I’ve learned that prayer can change everything.
It keeps me attentive to my thoughts and helps me choose to live under the Spirit of Life and Light—not fear and sadness.
In this journey of motherhood, there are many seasons. I’ve learned to embrace all of them.
It’s not always easy, but today I choose to be happy.
I choose life.
I choose love.
I choose all the beautiful gifts of being a mother to three wonderful children and the best husband ever.
And I choose to invest in myself.
To all the almost empty nesters…
Keep your head up.
Get out of bed.
Pray.
Be happy.
This season may feel heavy, but it’s also filled with grace, growth, and new beginnings. 💛
-JE
