Becoming a mother

So I just heard a quote recently from Elenore Roosevelt. She was a mother of six children but felt like she was not a natural mother. This made me stop and think because I have heard women say that all the time. It made me wonder what does it mean to be a natural mother and is anyone really one of those.

Here's the thing about motherhood...it's hard. OK that's no secret but no one can truly prepare you for how hard it can be until you embark on that journey. But here's the other thing...no one can quite explain to you the joys of it either. You can tell someone just how cute your boys smile was or how proud you are for decisions your children have made but it just doesn't mean as much until you experience it. Likewise you really don't know what kind of mother you are until you become one. And the key to that is that it is about becoming...not just the bearing and raising of a child....but about you yourself changing and growing to become the sort of mom you want or need to be.

Honestly I don't think any of us starts out as a natural mother(who really naturally likes to give everything of herself for the greater good...not too many). But as we become mothers and learn what it means to give all of ourselves to a greater good...we become a mother.

I tell my daughter that she has to put up with all my mistakes and problems because she's the first. I'll be the perfect mom once she starts having kids:)