Peace....Motherhood, the beginning of the most important job in life with no vacations, or sick pay, but priceless benefits

Motherhood.  I can hardly believe I've been a Mom for 15 years.  How is that possible?  How could I be old enough to have a child 15?I remember when my oldest was born, in the first few weeks, when he was sleeping I would sometimes take naps.  Why oh why oh why didn't I do that EVERY SINGLE TIME?  Really!  Moms out there....Listen up! Take naps when you can because the dishes will be there when you wake, but a crabby-exhausted Mom serves no one in the home.  Too bad I couldn't have stock-piled those "nap hours" as I so could use them lately.....When my second son was born, my oldest was 4 years old.  When the same people suggested to me the same "take a nap when your newborn naps" philosophy, I actually chuckled....did they forget I had a 4-year-old?  When my younger son napped, that was the time I was able to spend with my older son.  I became versed in all the names of the Thomas the Tank Engine trains, I set up endless tracks of matchbox cars, I read "The Giving Tree", and "I'll Love you Forever" and "Good Night Moon" at least 1,000 times each.  The tedious tasks of my daily life seemed like thankless seemingly endless efforts.....but now seem like a lifetime away.....Vacations, when our kids were little were often grand!  In our youngest sons first 5 years, he had been to Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico and Disney.  My advice for Moms out there....skip it and go somewhere local.  My kids literally remember NOTHING!  Thank Goodness we have photos!  They don't remember the jerk chicken, the Caribbean sea and the catamaran, Breakfast with Mickey, the Kid's Clubs, the fancy pools, or the fancy kid's drinks.  I remember one time my parenting skills were put to their test- and probably my best moment did not shine.....Yes, I will share.....We were in Dominican Republic.  Our youngest son was just over 1-year-old.  I was still nursing him, and he was glued to my hip.  Almost literally.  For a week straight,  he was nursing, or laying on or next to me, or I was holding him on my right hip.  I have the stronger right arm to prove it.  I was physically exhausted.  Then....I just snapped.  I  handed him off to my husband and walked down the beach...I was hysterical.  I just wanted one moment to be alone.  I heard him crying "Momma" and my heart ached, but I knew in the moment that it was better for me to walk away and regroup then to freak out with my son around.  It seems silly now.  We were on a family vacation, our kids were small, but still I wasn't prepared for the tactile over stimulus that comes with being a mom and having someone attached to you literally and almost so for years.  Funny thing is, I now desperately miss those moments.  I miss it!But nothing, oh nothing, can prepare one for the phenomenon of being a Mom and getting sick.  I'm sure if we knew the issue with this, civilization would've ended years ago.  No one prepares you when you are sick, guess what?  You still need to change diapers, poor sippy cups, bathe your child, make dinner, go to the grocery store, do laundry and sometimes still need to go to work.  That is life of a Mom.It's been awhile since I've been sick, and now whatever "YUK" I have has been settled in for almost 2 weeks.  I have been having moments of my own little pity party until of course, I go to Facebook and remember....many people I know are dealing with cancer and chronic illness.  Really, how can I complain?  I am humbled in remembering that while my frustrations are real and I feel simply horrible, my "YUK" will soon leave and I will return to my prior health.....my heart aches for those who cannot.  For all the Moms who are living with Stage IV disease and going through treatment and STILL being Mom....I am in awe.I know my simple mention of the above will certainly cause most of these young women to shake their heads, roll their eyes and say "what choice do I have"..... as I have heard this over and over from people in my prior job.  But my response is this...."Be miserable.  Or motivate yourself.  Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice." Wayne Dyer.Every Mom has a choice, for the days we do even when we don't feel like it, that is the essence of being a Mom.What I wouldn't do to get back one more day with my kids when they were little.  To snuggle them in their little jammies, make them one more sippy cup, read "The Hungry Caterpillar" one more time and have them look up at me with great anticipation.  For now....I will cherish the times when my 15-year-old does more than simply tolerate my existence, I will take comfort in knowing that each day of my life as a Mom, I've been truly grateful and felt like I was the luckiest person in the world.Peace & Happy Belated Mother's Day to all.