"Too Many Moms"

With my mom on my wedding day, 4/14/2018.

When I was picking out cards for Mother's Day on a random Target run, I overheard a woman complaining to her partner: "We have too many moms in our lives!" While I certainly wouldn't want anybody to judge me for things they've overheard me saying offhand during long days of errands — I'm pretty sure I once jokingly threatened to "burn Ikea to the ground" during hour five of Christopher picking out a bed frame — it was jarring for me to listen while she complained about the inconvenience of having so many moms to consider on Mother's Day. 

I've been immeasurably blessed to find myself surrounded by strong, beautiful, loving, inspiring mothers throughout my life. My mom has been there for me from the start, challenging me to never settle and always around to give the most comforting hugs. Then, I gained a bonus mom when I was 10, adding to the docket a stepmom who cheers for me, cries with me, and sacrifices so much for our family. 

With my stepmom on the wedding day. 

When I got married in April, I also landed a whole new family — including a mother-in-law who inspires me to be a better version of myself. She raised four boys and made it look like a piece of cake, somehow always making time for planning activities, visiting friends, pouring herself into her marriage, and caring for herself. 

I never want to take the mothers in my life for granted — especially after watching my mom lose her own mother, and the continued grief that she experiences with each passing year. There are so many reasons that people struggle on Mother's Day: losing a mom, losing a child, strained family relationships, or difficulty conceiving. Let's not turn having "too many moms" into a struggle, too. 

With my new parents-in-law at the wedding. 

I'll spend today celebrating my "too many moms," and others, too — grandmothers, friends' mothers who treat me like their own, and so many more. Because when it comes to moms, there's really no such thing as having too many.