Happy Belated Mother's Day

I still remember the years when we struggled to have children. I had some health challenges, and we were told it was unlikely we'd ever have children naturally. God had other plans for us, though, and we were blessed with AJ in 2011. Teddy came along with relative ease in 2013, and I think that's when the definition of "relative ease" changed forever. 

As I look back, the journey to having children seemed so long and painful (mostly emotional although some of those fertility testing procedures appeared to be medieval forms of torture). In reality, it was only a couple years and not a big deal in the grand scheme of life. I wonder how much of the challenges of today will fade as time passes?

Many expecting parents simply say they want a healthy baby, that's all that matters. Me, I was a bit more honest that I preferred boys. In fact, when we were contemplating a third child, my answer was that I'd be on board if we could guarantee the baby would be healthy and a boy. Given our PIGN mutations, the first wasn't a guarantee and there's never a guarantee on gender.

Our parenting journey hasn't been what we expected. There's a poem called Welcome to Holland that truly does capture what the initial unexpected diagnosis felt like. Parenting a child like Teddy has such beauty of it's own, but sometimes it's challenging because it's not what we expected and never will be.

So, I'm going to pay tribute to five things that are amazing and wonderful about being the mom to both of my boys.

I'm grateful to be AJ's mom because:

1. His love of learning is intense. He devours books like he does ice cream. He shares such random and accurate facts that often amaze me. 
2. He's now in a joke phase with his joke book. I enjoy guessing his puns and then sharing them with my co-workers.
3. He has the kindest heart. He is generous with his gifts and looks for ways to brighten other people's days. The empathy is strong with this one.
4. He's a great companion for bike rides. We have good conversations, and it's easier to chat as we do those type of activities.
5. He's our hiking and camping buddy. He's been camping since he was little, and we create special memories taking him into the backcountry.

I'm grateful to be Teddy's mom because:

1. We have found such a wonderful community with our CDG-PIGN families. We now have friends from around the world who understand our world because they live in it.
2. We have also found the myTEAM Triumph community. Although I was always interested in volunteering there, the catalyst that made me show up was that Teddy could participate. It's now a family event (when COVID isn't happening) and has also provided us with incredible friendships and support.
3. Teddy brings so much joy into the world. His smile lights up a room, and a visit from him does wonders for people (especially when they can return him afterward). He can make you feel like the most special person in the world with his excitement to see you.
4. As stubborn and persistent as I am, I'm truly no match for Teddy. This kid is sheer determination. That has enabled him to accomplish all that he has because he truly never gives up. It's a wonderful quality when he applies that trait to positive purposes, not so much when he's scaling the Tahoe or trying to destroy my sanity.
5. Teddy helps me see things from a different perspective. There's time he forces me to slow down and appreciate the little things. When he thinks something is fun, he is determined that you do it, too, lest you miss out on anything fun. He lives in the moment and helps me do that same at times.

They're bigger now, but I'm still lucky to be their mom.