Day 14

Meet Kelly, my mommy!

Someone I couldn't imagine life without.

There are a few... obviously my husband or my daughters, but I've written about them a lot & just in the last post, so I'll talk about my Momma!

My mom and I weren't super close when I was growing up; I honestly was never one of those girls who would've said "I tell my mom everything" or "my mom is my best friend". But we've really grown close since we've both come to know Christ, and especially since me getting married & having kids of my own. The Lord has redeemed much!

I couldn't imagine life without my mom! We talk- or at least text back & forth- everyday, at least once a day. She has helped me so much in marriage & motherhood. I'm very thankful that I don't have a mom who loves to "dog" my husband. I know this is so very common & I don't take it for granted. When I've called her at different times in the middle of a disagreement with Dustin, or whatever it may be, I call her because I know she'll give me godly, balanced advice on the situation. There have even been times Dustin has said "will you please just go call your mom?" :) Her and my dad both are mine & Dustin's "go-to" people when we are stuck about a decision to make. Not that they make decisions for us, but the bible has much to say about seeking godly counsel, and I'm thankful that "counsel" is in my very family! It has not always been so!

Mom has also been so great since becoming a mother myself. We were just talking the other day about how huge it's been that mom is so experienced with babies & children. She started babysitting back when she was about 12, and worked with babies ever since then- and my whole life! There was always a baby around the house that Mom was babysitting, or "nanny-ing". As I got older, I started babysitting on my own & helped out more with whoever was around our house. Mom definitely passed on her love for babies to me. And when I became a mom, I wasn't clueless. Well, no more than the typical amount of clueless... obviously there is nothing like having a baby of your own... but I was comfortable with babies. I knew how to change a diaper- I'd been doing it almost my whole life. Things like that. And for the times when I didn't know what to do, like when Gabbi was screaming for hours in the middle of the night at 4 in the morning, who did we call? I've always had mom to ask "is this normal??" She is great with children, and especially my children. I love that she enjoys my girls, and I don't feel like they are a burden or annoying her. And that she is happy when I have children. I've known women who dread telling their mom that their pregnant (again)... Trust me, there are members of my family I dread telling when I'm pregnant, but I'm so thankful my mom is not one of them!

Life was definitely different when Mom & Dad were in Louisville, and Gabbi and I both are loving having them back here in Knoxville with us. I just don't ever want to take having Mom here, or our relationship, for granted. Who knows what the Lord has in store or where we'll be in our futures?