Mothers and Sisters

I cannot think about Mother's Day this year without thinking of my beloved sister and the life that is growing in her. This is the last time that Mari will celebrate a Mother's Day without a gift from her own child and the first time that she will be thinking of herself as part of this day. It's amazing. Every time I think about my sister becoming a mother, I am completely and utterly amazed.

Ever since Easter when Mari and Brian told me that they were expecting, I simply cannot stop thinking about my future niece or nephew... or about my sister. I have loved and admired Mari my entire life, looked up to her, idolized her, striven to follow in her very accomplished footsteps. For so long I have been only a few steps behind her, running after her, trying to catch up and be just like her. But the last few years she has gone so far ahead of me, stepping into the role of wife in the same graceful way she does everything, and now as she enters this part of her journey, becoming a mother, I can't help but feel like I am watching her enter a foreign land that I know nothing of and one that I am not allowed in to. I can offer her absolutely no advice on how to navigate, I have no experience of my own to share with her, I cannot enter into anything that she is feeling or going through. It makes me feel more then a little lost and helpless because I want so badly to have the words to comfort her when she is scared and unsure, I want to be wise and helpful to guide her into this unknown... but I can be none of those things because I have never been a mother.

But then I think about my own amazing mother. I think of the three children she raised and how we (in my humble opinion) have turned out to be godly, kind, caring, responsible, hard-working adults, contributing to the world and encouraging those around us. And I am comforted. Because I know that as Mari becomes a mother herself, she has one of the greatest examples to follow, our mom. Our mom who got us dressed for meeting every Sunday, who had dinner on the table by 6 always, who drove us to every swim/soccer/water polo/whatever practice we ever had, who was at every single game, home and away, who organized endless fundraisers for school and sports so that we could travel and experience every opportunity that came our way, who never made us feel like we weren't good enough, or strong enough, or smart enough. Our mom instilled in us the belief that we are capable of ANYTHING and we know, without a doubt, that she will help and support us accomplish any and all of our dreams and goals.

And that is how I know that my sister will be the most amazing mother to the child. Because with a mom like ours, how could she not?

from Mom's b-day last December <3

Happy Mother's Day Mama! I love you more then words can say. And Happy Mother's Day to you too Sis! You're going to do great. :-)

Mom and Mari on Mother's Day 2012 (photo from Mari's Mother-in-Law, Jill)