Your children. Your children make you into a mother. Day by day, week by week–sometimes minute by minute. These children are creating a mother. 
Sure, some of it is innate in most women–the desire to nurture, to care for, to organize, to direct.
But the selflessness required, the giving of one’s time, energy and heart, that is not completely innate.
On my own, I’m far too selfish to be a mother. Far too focused on me. Far too wrapped up in my own perceived (and real) problems.
But these goofballs right here–they’re shaping me into a mother.
Today, I really felt like a “mom.” My friend Staci and I dropped our boys off at preschool, and took our girls to the mall to play while we drank coffee. As we attempted to connect as women while our girls pulled books off shelves, filled their pants with stinky messes, grinned and babbled at us and played with trains, I smiled to myself and thought, “I’m a mom. And I love it!”
From the mall, we jetted over to Target to compare prices on pullups and diapers, check out costumes for Halloween, and discuss the discounts we’ve been able to find using the Target Cartwheel app (LOVE, by the way.) I chuckled to myself as we expressed complete 
and total excitement over savings 10-25% on random items. It’s like, so exciting, right? 5 years ago, I would have overheard two moms-of-preschoolers having this same discussion, and I would have rolled my eyes and laughed, thinking to myself, “Oh man, I can’t imagine caring so much about discounts and diapers!” Yet here I am.
The making of a mother; these children, they do it to you. And I’m loving it. :)
And PS, I love having a friend to do this motherhood thing with. How in the world would we make it through this complete and total humbling experience without girlfriends to commiserate with, girlfriends to challenge us, girlfriends to listen when we’re feeling beaten down? Thank God for girlfriends in this motherhood journey.
Comment away: How are your children making you into a mother? What lessons have they taught you recently? Do your girlfriends help or hinder your journey in motherhood?
