Mother's Day 2015 | The Real Us | Personal

This year we celebrated my second Mother's Day.

Mother's Day is such a special day, not because its a day where everyone celebrates me. But because its one day a year where people stop and truly appreciate the work, the very hard work, that goes into being a mother.

Being a first time mom, I have learned so much about what it truly means to be selfless. The constant need of this little person, for every single thing that you have, is never ending. Your food, your bed, your love, your hot water with which to get your first shower in days, your time and attention. Your only pair of clean jeans that quickly become covered in smashed bananas and oatmeal. Your ten minutes of quiet that you need for your own sanity. They are no longer your own. They belong to this beautiful little piece of you. This little person that is flesh and bone, a beautiful miracle created by God, and designed to be your very best friend.

This has been the hardest year of our lives. Having a baby brings brings love about in a whole new way, but as all new moms can attest to, it also brings out every single on of your weaknesses right around 3am, when your baby is screaming hysterically and you have no idea why. All you know is that the noise is deafening and both you and your husband really wish it would stop. Those are the moments where fuses are short and tones are sharp. But once the screaming baby is calmed and sleeping once again and its just the two of us laying there in the silence, the "I'm sorry's" are said and we wake up closer and stronger than we were the day before. Its kind of a beautiful balance in the chaos.

The thing about a childlike wonder and love is that it doesn't see faults. I mean, as Malachi is maturing and learning boundaries, there are times when he gets pretty upset with us. But the way that he loves me and Nic has no ends. He loves me on my very worst days, where Im a mess with no make up and feel like hiding from the world, and he loves me when I feel like I could take on the world and play as hard as I can. He loves me because Im his mom. Its that simple. He doesn't need a reason to choose love. He just does, because that love is all he has ever known. And I know this much... he will know that love every single day for the rest of my life. Because that little boy has every single part of my heart.

This last year of watching Malachi grow into this beautiful little person, with his own wants and needs, has more than anything, taught me the beauty of God's grace. There is such an innocence about children. And as Malachi discovers this whole new world around him, it has shown me a new side to God. If God looks at each of us as his children, then shouldn't we be discovering each new aspect of who God is and this beautiful world he has given us with the same wonder that this beautiful little boy sees his world? God has so much for us, and so often its our own dumb selves that prevent him from showing us just how much is there for us. But like my son chases bubbles with a sparkle in his eye because every single one is different and new. Or him experiencing snow for the first time. The wonder in his face as he went racing across the yard on a sled pulled by his superman. God has the same amount of joy for us. He wants nothing more than to see us experience all of the peace and grace that he has designed by hand just for us. Why do we make life so hard sometimes?

Nothing in world compares to being a mom. And even though the nights are long and the emotions are hard. I wouldn't trade a single moment of it. Because to that little boy? I am his whole world. And that is a privilege and an honor. Because not everyone gets this feeling. Not everyone who so desires to know this love will. And that little boy is mine for as long as God allows me to hold him in my arms. I can't take that for granted.

So sometimes when the blog is quiet for a while, or as a client it takes a few days longer to get those photos back to you. Know that there are giggles and Frozen watching happening in the Morris house. There are tears being dried and toys being put away and there is so much love here that we sometimes just have to take a minute and admire the beautiful story that God is writing right in front of our eyes. I love stories. I love seeing what God is doing in every single person that we have the honor of capturing through our cameras. But our story? Its my favorite. Hands down.

This year Mother's Day was a different feeling. Honestly, I think ever single Mother's Day will hold different emotions for me, but looking back on this year and all that we have come through, I cannot wait to experience all the new that this coming year will hold. So while it was nice to read beautiful cards and eat amazing food and just enjoy being with my beautiful family, thats not what it was about for me.

Because I am a mom. And that is the greatest gift that I could ever be given.