My "Top 10" list of the great things about being Mom

Being Mom can be totally engulfing. As the mother of 4 children, life seems to move at such a rapid pace that, sometimes, I barely notice my family! I have been on that crazy treadmill all spring. So now, I'm going to blog on the great things about being Mom. It's time to focus my mind on my kids for a while.
Here are my “top ten” favorite things about being Mom - not necessarily in order since all are very important:
10. Development - Witnessing my children develop, watching them learn something new and internalize it, is magical. Sometimes I can actually look into their eyes and see the connections get made!
9. Ideas - Sometimes I am floored when I hear some of the amazing ideas/thoughts my kids have. They must come into this life with wisdom already!
8. Love - Being appreciated by my kids for who I am and what I can give them is sometimes breath taking. The simplest gestures can have the biggest impact. They love to do things for me too! The more I give of myself (time, attention, respect) the more they give to me.
7. Values - Seeing my kids learn important life lessons, lessons that will carry them through life, is very rewarding. For example, when my oldest son watched me give a needy man my last $5.00 he said, under his breath, "mom, are you sure you want to do that?" (worried about money). I told him that it always comes back. And 2 days later it did, when an unfamiliar woman put a $100.00 dollar bill on our restaurant table to buy our family dinner! My husband insisted that we didn’t need the money but she insisted. Home run!
6. Self-confidence - Watching the kids test and expand their abilities is awesome. Knowing when to step in and help and when to hold back and wait is the hard part.
5. Compassion - Feeling the love and caring that my kids have for others helps me to know that my husband and I are doing our jobs.
4. Physical comfort - Snuggles, hugs and kisses always feel good, even when the giver wiggles constantly, unable to sit still, or climbs into bed in the middle of the night. My heart fills every time.
3. Talent - When I take the time to really observe what my children can do I am amazed at their talent! My oldest son and my daughter are amazing musicians. And they are both naturals at caring for others (go figure). My third is a fantastic visual artist with an almost intuitive ability to work with colors. And my youngest has always been a master at physical coordination. It's hilarious to watch him dance and make faces!
2. Nurturing - because I am Mom, I get to nurture, to give, to feel love.
1. Fulfillment - Being mom really matters! Even on my worst days my kids can pull me back to what really matters - Love, Gratitude, Faith, Joy, Inspiration. They help me to be whom I need and want to be.