Mothers.

I spent some time this afternoon with some great friends. Lots of families with lots of loud and boisterously joyous kiddos. It was chaos and it was so great. I am so happy and grateful that I am surrounded by so many fun people. 

I was watching my fellow mom-friends fill up their plates with food only to end up giving most of that food to their kids. I watched us all jump up as soon as the kids games got too loud or someone started to cry. I sat in the basement with my friend and about 7 kids while the dads and other adults that were there with no kids played games. And I realized something. Realized it again I guess. Motherhood is synonymous with service. Motherhood is service. We serve. From sunup to sundown and sundown to sunup we serve. We lose sleep. We sit up late with sick kids taking temperatures and cleaning bedding. We eat last. We eat less and than we finish leftovers. We eat macaroni and cheese for lunch that is cold on the stove. We walk around on tiptoes for 2 hours a day so we don't wake up sleeping kiddos. We get up early and fix breakfast while daddies sleep off late nights of work. 

We clean up after everyone. We do piles of laundry over and over and over again. (Sometimes, we even fold it.) We potty train. We clean up all sorts of bodily fluids and various other fun things. We rarely shower. We dress up only to get covered in peanut butter right before leaving the house by tiny fingers. 

Why do we do this? 

Love. Service. 

I never knew what it was to serve someone until I became a mom. The buck stops here. You are it. You are the one who makes decisions. Says "yes" or "no" and has to deal with the whining and crying that comes from standing our ground. 

I believe we are given a gift. When our children are born, or they join our family in any way. We are covered in a blanket of love. Heavenly Father gives us a small piece of the love that he feels for us and shares it with our children. 

So we serve. We brush their hair and teeth. We wash them and feed them. We tuck them in and sing to and snuggle them. And in return? 

They love us. They light up when we come in the room. They ask for us when we are gone. They say things like, "mommy, you are the best mommy." "Mommy, I am so glad you're my mommy." "Mommy, I love you." 

They squeeze us tightly when we pick them up and they give us sweet and sloppy kisses on the cheek. 

And one day, they will grow up. And I would like to think that they will be my best friends. The way my sisters are, I want my daughters to be. And I know it's a bumpy ride along the way. But I am so happy to be on the ride. 

I am happy to serve. I am happy to love. I am grateful to have the gift. 

Thanks to my mom. And so many moms taking such good care of their families. I am inspired by so many of you. 

We are all in this together.