Sunday May 10th 2015 is the last mother’s day that I will be ‘just mom’. It is a strange feeling yet also very exciting.

From the moment I learned I was pregnant my life changed forever. In May of 1993 my daughter was born and with her came joys, fears, love and experiences I never dreamed possible. In May of 2015 this same daughter will be marrying her high school sweetheart and beginning a journey of her own. I will no longer be just mom, I will be someone’s mother-in-law.  This title adds a whole new set of expectations and responsibilities to being a mom and I can’t wait!

Being a mother is all I ever wanted for my life. I remember when I was just a little girl watching my mom and feeling so full of pride that I could call her mine. She was amazing and an example to strive to live up to. And I have tried. Over the past 22 years we have seen some pretty heavy ups and downs in our family. Many times I felt like I couldn’t make it, that i was failing at being a mom.  I look at my children today and see three successful young people with character, strength and a passion for life that makes my heart swell.  So what was I so afraid of? Why did I doubt myself and wonder at my worth. As with anything we are passionate about, if we don’t take time to allow ourselves to recognize that things can go very wrong it is easy to miss the opportunities to do better, to care more and to enjoy the great things.

This year may be my last mother’s day without the -in-law in my title but it is another opportunity to strive to be a better mom in the coming year.

[whohit]LastMom[/whohit]