Today as I was reflecting on mom life, I was flooded with mom memories and other memories from those who helped raise me. As many of you know, my birth mom went to Heaven 4 months after I was born. I have no memories of her or who she was, except from others.
Recently her two sisters have shared such priceless memories of her, and it has been AMAZING to learn who she was! The best memory I just learned about, was reading her letter to her sister about the birth of my brother Dustin. She wrote that she was having contractions but she had saved money for the after Christmas sales and just had to go shopping! I loved reading her write about her shopping ALL day adventures at Burlington Mall and then going into labor that same night. I cried and laughed that I must get my love for sales from her and her ability to have easy pregnancies where she could shop ALL day 9 months preg! Glimpses like that make my heart just burst!
My mom's sister Bobbie or Barb on the left of Mr Orr and Mo or Marylou on the right. All. the. hearts for these aunties who have relayed so much of my mom's history to me!😍
( Photo taken at my granny's funeral )
My mom Paulette joined the picture when I was 2, and we have had many memories together. Recently, after we came back from Hawaii, and lived with her, our kids relationship with her has blossomed in amazing ways. When I search for pictures of my mom, I see endless pictures of her loving on one of our kids, or two, or all 4. She is endlessly patient with our tribe, from sewing lessons with Hannah, to listening to Harrison's redecorating ideas for her beautiful USA room or hour long trips to the mall, or Hudson's "take every shoe out and leave a path" kinda day.
She has been able to see Lulu grow from day 1, and will be so excited to see her walking and eating real food once quarantine set's us free! She is always ready to show kindness and will literally stop anything she is doing to help one of us. Her selflessness is impressive and something I admire. Her heart for loving those that may seem harder to love is also admirable. She is a great listener and I am a great venter, and yet she always suggests turning the other cheek and trying to love them... These convos and times together are a gift.
This post is a thank you to my birth mom, my mom now, my aunts who helped raise me during those two years and beyond, my mother in law and our aunty from Hawaii.
Today we spent our afternoon with my mother in law and celebrated her. She is beyond selfless and will do anything for anybody. I do not have these genes but since two moms are showing me this trait I better get it together!
When you think about the influences of a godly woman, the trickle effect is endless! Not only am I effected by the blessings of those women in my life, but our kids will be, and hopefully they just keep channeling through all the future Hebert lineage as well. Not only am I thankful... but I am challenged to create those blessings for my kiddos too...
As I reflect on my personal mom journey, I see so many flops and failures and then so many fun joy filled times too! As the momma bear I seem to hold a crazy power to either boost the morale of my peeps or drag it down ... some days I do inadvertently drag them down into negativity or ... the list could continue ..but here's to the rest of May and beyond... may I show more fruits of the spirit and grow in grace too.
Thankful for grace upon grace.
Thankful for a whole network of moms that build each other up.
Thankful for this quote:
Thankful for you, my dear blog reader! May you know some inspirational and godly women or be one of them too!
Hugs ( With a mask on and gloves and sanitizer nearby! But hey my coffee breath is masked by the mask so yay!)
Here is the lady that birthed me!! I call her Mommy Cookie - her real name was Connie but was always called Cookie by those who loved her. She was an adventurer and teacher, and I feel I share those genes 200%. I can only imagine her rocking me to sleep for 4 months and loving on me during those early days. The love of a mother to her infant is something I have been blessed to enjoy times 4, and I love her for the care she shared with me during our short time.
Her love for fashion and fun sunnies is so me too. I love you Mommy Cookie and can't wait for Heaven to meet you!
Here is my granny, Mommy Cookie's mom, with me, after she had passed. My Auntie Mo recalled that my granny wanted to keep me and help raise me but of course my dad had to take me back to Boston from Iowa. I love my Granny so crazy much, and knowing she is also in Heaven = even so come Lord Jesus!
Then my beautiful madre... always smiling... how can she smile so much when 1- I am a hot mess to live with I promise you and 2- we have been through the RINGER
Thank you Lord for preserving our relationship no matter what else is going on. Corona or not, we got this baby! Here is only a sampling of the 1000s of pics that we have together... always with a grandkiddo! 😍
HMD Friends! Love you all
This is so sweet. 💗 Such a blessing to be loved by so many wonderful women!
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