Finding My Calcutta: Five Faves: Motherhood Edition

If you regularly read my meanderings, you know that I fall into the "embraces vocation with some struggle" category. I am choosing today, to embrace that struggle and be intentional about finding my favorite things about being a mom and linking up with Hallie at The Moxie Wife. Turns out it is harder to choose just five things!

1) I get to watch cartoons with no shame. Come on. You know there are moments when you are nostalgic for Saturday morning cartoons in your pajamas. With kids, there is the potential of many mornings mimicking those Saturdays of yesteryear. In this house, it's PBS and Veggie Tales, but I am a-okay with that since Saturday morning cartoons pretty much resemble a Hoover vacuum these days. Whatever happened to the Smurfs?

2) Squeals of delight. While it can burst an eardrum, is there anything more satisfying than hearing the shreik of absolute, pure joy through the giggles? I didn't think so.

3) Watching little brains at work. Rumor has it I got into student development and then ministry because I loved helping people discover their potential. I suppose if that is true, then motherhood is the optimal job. Every day, many moments of every day, I watch these little minions of mine light up with new ideas, new discoveries, new skills. To see how much excitement comes from learning that they can do something new or understand something new brings a joy that is truly indescribable.

4) I've talked about the surfacing of Mama Bear before. On the flip side, there is the lovey-mama-bear who gleams when her baby discovers a new friend. This past weekend we crashed Jenna's (of Call Her Happy) garage sale and mooched their baby gear because we left our brains at home with the stroller. (Ok, what really happened is that we took the Hubbers' car and the gear is in my swagger wagon.) Regardless, her daughter is just a little younger than Li'l G, and it was beautiful to watch her learn to play with a new friend, to share, to imagine, to be creative, to band together with a new friend somewhat against her brother who tried to take their toys. When we haven't had much luck with park friendliness, it was beautiful to watch her learn the ropes of toddler friendship. Of course, this meant that there was a meltdown when we had to leave, and hours of negotiations about going back, but I will take that any day. Thanks Jenna for sharing your daughter and gear!

5) Sibling love and all out silliness. While the exuberance sometimes reaches astronomical proportions that must be brought back down to earth, the ease with which the two of these kidlets can entertain each other is fascinating. Whether a forced game of "ring around the rosie" (yes, we encourage songs about the plague), hugs and kisses, the Hubbers' ill-fated introduction of the once-dead "Whasssup???", laughter and play abounds. Of course, it is often coupled with screams of "that's mine!" and "don't pull my hair!" but laughter abounds.