After going through my 23 year of life, this Mother’s Day hits different. I am old enough to grasp context. When you told me the story about being 22, married, and never wanting kids, and shortly after finding out you were pregnant, I had fact, but not context. When you chose to keep your pregnancy, and not abort me, I had fact not context. When you saw me and even still decided you not only wanted me, but loved me, I had fact not context. Now at 24, I pray for the capacity to one day be half as much mother as you. After feeling like I was going to lose my life in the same (age) year you gave me life, context showed me that I’m still YOUR baby. I can’t imagine being a mother now. I wouldn’t dream of giving up the world I’m building to do so. I’m just not ready.

On this Mother’s Day, with my context I honor you.

I honor your decision to keep me.

I honor your decision for always staying.

I honor your decision to love me, even when I go astray. I honor your for your direction.

I honor you for your protection.

I honor you for your love, even though I share it a bunch.

I honor you for your value. I honor you for your prayers.

I honor you for your example, and never pushing me away.

Thank you for listening to my questions, and always providing me answers.

Thank you for the good times, and teaching resiliency in the bad.

Thank you for your witness, and always loving my dad.

Thank you for choosing to fight, so we had a chance to “do this right”.

Thank you for teaching me specifically how to LIVE MY LIFE.

For as long as I live, I pray the Lord ensures I never get my own face. I pray that he instills in me to be even half as amazing a mother as you one day. I love you.