Open letter to all Moms!

I googled the definition of a mother and this is what I got:

• to give birth to (a child) : to be or act as mother to (someone) : to care for or protect (someone) like a mother.

I thought to myself, you truly can’t even begin to try to squeeze the definition of a mother into one sentence or even a few bullet points. The meaning of a mother is pretty much endless. A mother is one of the most selfless human beings on earth. A mom has to sacrifice her own wants and needs (often sleep lol) for the wants and needs of her children. A mother is a 24hour day job. Mothers don’t get sick days, holiday pay, or paid time off. Mothers are nurses, chefs, maids, counselors, teachers, alarm clocks, body guards, photographers, ATM’s, chauffeurs, personal assistants, all wrapped in one…for the rest of their lives. Motherhood is a job you never retire from. A mother is someone who will cradle you in her arms even when you’ve disappointed her beyond belief. There’s truly NOTHING like a mother’s love. Mother’s Day is the one day (although it should be every day lol) that mothers around the world are celebrated. It’s a day where we should be treated like the queens we are. It’s a day where we should be shown that we are appreciated. While millions of moms are being celebrated on this day, there’s some moms who may not get the recognition they deserve. I want you all to know you deserve to be celebrated on this day as well!

To the single-mom: You may not have a partner to shower you with gifts this Mother’s Day. You may not have the luxury of sleeping in or getting breakfast in bed on this day. I know it may seem unfair. You deserve it just as much, if not more, than any other mom on YOUR day. I know exactly how you may feel on this day because I was once a single-mother. Just remember that your hard work will not be in vain. You get rewarded with hugs, kisses, and the “I love you mommy’s.” There’s nothing more precious than hearing your child tell you that “you’re the best mommy EVER!” It makes it all so, so worth it! You are superwoman. You’ve got this mama!

To the step-mom: You may feel like your hard-work goes unnoticed on this day. You may even feel unappreciated. You will probably always feel like you come in second place to the biological mom on Mother’s Day. Just know that even when you aren’t a step-parent, parenthood is often a thankless job. No matter how unappreciated you feel on Mother’s Day it does not define the love your stepchildren have for you nor the relationship you two share. It certainly doesn’t define the amazing stepparent that you are and the role you play in that child’s life! (If you know any stepmoms, don’t forget to shoot them a happy Mother’s Day text as well. It’ll make her day)

To the adoptive moms: Biology is the least of what makes you a mother. From the moment you signed the dotted line on the adoption papers, your dream of becoming a mother came true. Your precious child’s dream of having a loving family became true as well. There’s no better gift you can give a child than true unconditional love. What a courageous act. No matter the path you took to get to motherhood, your love and selfless care makes you the best mommy on the planet!

To the mom’s who’ve lost a child: Mother’s Day isn’t always a day of celebration for all women. I can’t even begin to fathom your pain. The pain of losing a child has to be the worst of any kind. As much as your heart may break on this day my prayer is that you are filled with God’s peace. I pray that you don’t lose hope or faith. I pray that you know from the moment you saw the positive pregnancy test, you loved you baby and you became a MOM! You were and will always be their mom. This is your day as well!

To ALL moms: Motherhood is the hardest job in the world. There’s a lot they don’t tell you when you sign up for motherhood. There may be many sleepless nights. There may be many tears. There may be a ton of mom guilt. There may be times where you feel like you’re getting everything wrong and nothing right. Your house may be a constant mess. Your car may have crumbs everywhere. Laundry may be piled up to the ceiling. You may feel like you never get a break. Just know that you are not alone. You were graced for this. You were made for this. You are enough. You are not a mom by chance, but by God’s choosing. He handpicked you to be the mother your family needs. We are all in this together. Through it all, motherhood is such an amazing gift. You’ve got this mama and you’re doing an amazing job. Happy Mother’s Day to you ALL!

To Carrington, Channing, & Bryan II: Thank you for giving me the title mommy! I literally thank God for you every morning and night. Simply thinking of my love for you is enough to move me to tears. Your mommy will AWAYS be here for you no matter what and no matter how old you are. I love you with all of my heart!

To my AMAZING mommy: You showed me and still continue to show me what true unconditional love looks like. You gave birth to me at just 20 years old and have done your absolute best to give me the all the opportunities in the world to be a well-rounded individual. Now that I’m married and a mother myself, you continue to shower me with love. You’re the absolute best Gigi in the world to my babies. I can never repay you for everything you’ve done for me. Love you so much Ton!

As always, Love you all

Courtney N. Williams