WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:06.400 There are certain weekends in life that don't feel huge 2 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:12.400 while they're happening. No big vacations, no expensive trips, no 3 00:00:12.560 --> 00:00:17.079 perfectly planned schedules, just people you love showing up at 4 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:21.559 your door, and somehow those are the weekends that stay 5 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:25.399 with you forever. This past Mother's Day weekend was one 6 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:28.640 of those weekends for me, the time where the house 7 00:00:28.760 --> 00:00:33.079 never really stayed quiet for very long, doors opening, kids 8 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:38.280 walking in, grand babies laughing, flowers getting set on the counter, 9 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:42.560 somebody yelling from another room, Jeremy out by the grill, 10 00:00:43.479 --> 00:00:46.759 little girls carrying gifts with giant smiles on their faces 11 00:00:46.759 --> 00:00:49.159 because they could barely wait for me to open them. 12 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:53.320 And every single time someone walked through that door, I 13 00:00:53.399 --> 00:00:56.719 kept having the same thought, how did we get this lucky? 14 00:00:57.320 --> 00:01:00.920 Because when you're raising a big family, life moves so 15 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:04.680 fast that sometimes you don't realize you're living the moments 16 00:01:04.920 --> 00:01:09.480 you'll remember forever. But this weekend I knew. I knew 17 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:13.439 while it was happening. I remember sitting there Sunday evening, 18 00:01:13.959 --> 00:01:17.840 flowers everywhere, the smell of burghers on the grill filling 19 00:01:17.879 --> 00:01:22.879 the air, grand babies running around, everybody talking over each other, 20 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:26.439 and Jeremy cooking outside while the girls showed me all 21 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:30.359 the plants they got me, and I remember thinking, this 22 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:34.000 is it. This is what all the hard days were for. 23 00:01:34.680 --> 00:01:40.519 This is the reward. Not money, not success, not perfect 24 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:47.640 houses or perfect schedules, this family love, people wanting to 25 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:51.680 come home to you. And honestly, as a mom, there 26 00:01:51.719 --> 00:01:55.719 is no greater gift than that, because mothers spend years 27 00:01:55.760 --> 00:02:00.239 pouring themselves into everybody else. You stay up late, wake 28 00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:05.840 up early. You sacrifice sleep, You sacrifice peace and quiet. 29 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:10.879 You sacrifice your body, your energy, your emotions, your time. 30 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:15.680 You give and give and give without ever really stopping 31 00:02:15.719 --> 00:02:18.960 to ask what you need. And most moms don't do 32 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:22.879 it because they expect anything back. We do it because 33 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:25.800 we love our people. But every once in a while, 34 00:02:26.120 --> 00:02:28.840 your family gives some of that love back to you. 35 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:33.680 And this weekend I felt it everywhere, from every child, 36 00:02:34.120 --> 00:02:40.159 every hug, every flower, every conversation, every knock at the door, 37 00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:44.000 and honestly, I don't think I'll ever forget it. 38 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:45.400 So today I. 39 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:47.680 Wanted to sit down and tell you guys about our 40 00:02:47.719 --> 00:02:52.919 Mother's Day weekend. Because it wasn't flashy, it wasn't pinterest perfect, 41 00:02:53.400 --> 00:02:58.120 it was real, it was loud, it was beautiful, and 42 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:00.400 it was one of my favorite weekends we've had in 43 00:03:00.439 --> 00:03:04.520 a long time. So let's talk about it. Our Mother's 44 00:03:04.599 --> 00:03:07.360 Day weekend really started on Saturday when we went over 45 00:03:07.400 --> 00:03:08.719 to our daughter Kenna's house. 46 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:11.479 And first of all, I still. 47 00:03:11.240 --> 00:03:13.840 Have moments where it hits me that our kids are 48 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:20.840 adults now, like genuinely adults, adults, because in my mind, 49 00:03:21.560 --> 00:03:24.520 I can still picture Kenna as this tiny little girl. 50 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:28.039 I can still see her running through the house, I 51 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:31.560 can still hear her little voice. I can still remember 52 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:35.039 the chaos of raising all these kids when everybody was 53 00:03:35.159 --> 00:03:38.879 little and the house constantly felt like it was exploding 54 00:03:38.919 --> 00:03:43.319 with noise and laundry and snacks and somebody crying about 55 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:49.479 something every five minutes. And then suddenly you blink and 56 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:52.479 your daughter is inviting you over to dinner at her house. 57 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:56.039 That kind of thing messes with your emotions as a 58 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:59.639 mom in the best possible way, because you realize the 59 00:03:59.719 --> 00:04:03.919 years really did pass, and those little moments become memories 60 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:07.439 without you even noticing, and now your babies are building 61 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:10.400 lives of their own. So we went over to Kenna 62 00:04:10.439 --> 00:04:15.159 and Christians on Saturday and immediately it felt warm and welcoming, 63 00:04:15.639 --> 00:04:19.800 and honestly, there's something so emotional as a parent about 64 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:24.160 being welcomed into your child's home because when your kids 65 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:27.120 are little, your house is their safe place. 66 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:29.199 Then one day they. 67 00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:32.399 Grew up and create safe places for their own, and 68 00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:36.160 that's such a beautiful thing to witness. Kenna made dinner 69 00:04:36.199 --> 00:04:39.240 for us, and I kept having these little moments where 70 00:04:39.240 --> 00:04:42.480 I just stop and watch her, watching her move around 71 00:04:42.519 --> 00:04:46.720 her kitchen, watching her host, watching her pull dishes out 72 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:51.480 of the oven, watching her interact with everybody, watching her 73 00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:55.040 make sure everyone had a drink before she sat down herself. 74 00:04:55.639 --> 00:04:59.319 And there's this weird emotional thing that happens as a 75 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:02.800 mom where part of your brain still sees your daughter 76 00:05:02.839 --> 00:05:06.800 as your little girl, but another part suddenly sees the 77 00:05:06.839 --> 00:05:12.040 incredible woman she became, and honestly, it makes you emotional 78 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:16.000 in ways you can't even explain. Because I remember teaching 79 00:05:16.040 --> 00:05:19.800 her how to set a table, I remember her standing 80 00:05:19.800 --> 00:05:21.879 on the stool next to me, trying to help in 81 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:25.040 the kitchen when she could barely see over the counter. 82 00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:27.279 I remember the years of her. 83 00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:31.000 Being underfoot while I cook dinner for everybody, And now 84 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:35.639 suddenly she's the one hosting, she's the one cooking, she's 85 00:05:35.639 --> 00:05:39.000 the one making sure everybody is comfortable, and it's like 86 00:05:39.079 --> 00:05:42.079 watching a circle complete itself right in front of you. 87 00:05:42.600 --> 00:05:45.680 That's the kind of moment you can't put into words. 88 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:50.720 Dinner was wonderful, not because it was fancy, not because 89 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:54.600 it had to be perfect, but because we were together. 90 00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:59.120 And I think that's something people forget sometimes. The older 91 00:05:59.160 --> 00:06:02.759 I get, the more I realized the meal itself almost 92 00:06:02.920 --> 00:06:07.240 never matters. It's the people around the table that's what 93 00:06:07.319 --> 00:06:13.680 you remember. It's the conversations, the laughter, the feeling. That's 94 00:06:13.720 --> 00:06:17.439 the stuff that stays with you. And after dinner, Kenna 95 00:06:17.480 --> 00:06:20.680 and Kristin gave me gifts for Mother's Day. And I 96 00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:23.759 know gifts aren't the point of Mother's Day. I know that, 97 00:06:24.439 --> 00:06:28.199 but there is something incredibly touching about your children taking 98 00:06:28.279 --> 00:06:31.399 time to pick something out for you, because it means 99 00:06:31.480 --> 00:06:35.399 they thought about you. And honestly, Mom spends so much 100 00:06:35.480 --> 00:06:39.240 time thinking about everyone else, so when somebody turns around 101 00:06:39.240 --> 00:06:42.399 and thinks about you for a minute, it feels special. 102 00:06:43.319 --> 00:06:46.120 And I remember looking at them and thinking how grateful 103 00:06:46.120 --> 00:06:49.879 I was, not for the gifts themselves, but for the 104 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:56.240 people they became kind people, loving people, thoughtful people, And 105 00:06:56.279 --> 00:06:59.040 as a parent, that's really the goal, isn't it. 106 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:00.720 You hope your kids. 107 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:04.639 Grow into good humans. You hope they love deeply. You 108 00:07:04.680 --> 00:07:07.560 hope they care about people. You hope they become the 109 00:07:07.639 --> 00:07:11.399 kind of adults others feel safe around. And watching our 110 00:07:11.480 --> 00:07:14.600 kids grow into that has honestly been one of the 111 00:07:14.600 --> 00:07:21.040 greatest joys of my life. The evening just felt peaceful, warm, comfortable, 112 00:07:21.399 --> 00:07:23.519 the kind of night where you don't want to rush 113 00:07:23.560 --> 00:07:28.319 home because being together simply feels good. And I remember 114 00:07:28.439 --> 00:07:33.600 leaving there Saturday night already feeling incredibly loved. Little did 115 00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:36.360 I know Sunday was going to be one of those 116 00:07:36.439 --> 00:07:39.600 days where people just kept showing up all day long, 117 00:07:40.279 --> 00:07:45.240 and honestly, those are my favorite kinds of days. Sunday 118 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:48.800 mornings started in one of the sweetest ways possible. I 119 00:07:48.839 --> 00:07:51.439 woke up on Mother's Day to my ten year old 120 00:07:51.560 --> 00:07:55.519 Torrent and Gavin's girlfriend Riley making me breakfast. 121 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:58.079 And first of all, there's just. 122 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:02.879 Something about kids making breakfast that automatically makes it taste better. 123 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:07.079 I don't care what anybody says. It could be slightly 124 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:13.040 burnt toast, messy pancakes, eggs that maybe got a little overcooked, 125 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:16.519 and somehow it still tastes like the best meal ever 126 00:08:17.000 --> 00:08:20.680 because of the love behind it and Toaurum was so 127 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:24.639 excited you could see it all over her face, the 128 00:08:24.759 --> 00:08:27.680 kind of excitement kids get when they can barely hold 129 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:31.360 in us a prise. She kept watching me from across 130 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:34.440 the kitchen to see my reaction. She kept asking if 131 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:37.360 I liked it, She kept checking to see if everything 132 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:40.399 turned out okay, and every time I told her how 133 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:45.000 perfect it was, she lit up all over again. And honestly, 134 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:49.639 I love that age so much. Ten years old is 135 00:08:49.720 --> 00:08:53.120 such a sweet age because they're old enough to really 136 00:08:53.240 --> 00:08:57.120 understand wanting to make somebody feel special, but still young 137 00:08:57.200 --> 00:08:59.720 enough to get genuinely excited about it. 138 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:02.000 And Riley helping her made it. 139 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:05.759 Even sweeter because as a mom, one of the things 140 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:09.279 that means the most is when the people your kids 141 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:13.639 choose are kind to your family. And Riley has always 142 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:18.000 been so sweet, so thoughtful, so seeing her and Torn 143 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:22.720 together making breakfast for me honestly melted my heart. I 144 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:25.960 remember walking in and just immediately smiling because they. 145 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:28.279 Were both so proud of themselves. 146 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:31.240 And they should have been, because moments like that become 147 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:36.279 core memories, not the expensive things, not the over the 148 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:40.840 top things, the simple things, the thoughtful things. That's what 149 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:44.879 stays with people forever. And we sat there eating breakfast together, 150 00:09:45.080 --> 00:09:48.879 talking and laughing, and I remember thinking, how surreal is 151 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:52.080 that watching your family grow and evolve over the years, 152 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:56.639 Because suddenly there are girlfriends becoming part of the family, 153 00:09:57.399 --> 00:10:02.080 grandbabies running around, adult children visiting, and your life starts 154 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:05.759 expanding in these beautiful ways you never fully imagined when 155 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:09.840 your kids were little. After breakfast, we visited with Gavin 156 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:12.399 and Riley for a while and they gave me some 157 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:16.159 beautiful flowers. And if you know me at all, you 158 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:20.639 know flowers instantly make me emotional. There's just something about 159 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:23.919 fresh flowers sitting around the house that changes the entire 160 00:10:23.960 --> 00:10:30.039 feeling of a room. It feels alive, warm, loved, And 161 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:33.320 throughout the day our house slowly started filling up with 162 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:38.480 flowers everywhere, different colors, different arrangements, different people bringing them. 163 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:42.000 A bouquet on the counter, a vase on the dining 164 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:47.039 room table, a small arrangement sitting near the window. Pinks 165 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:51.200 and yellows and whites and soft purples, all mixed together, 166 00:10:51.960 --> 00:10:56.000 and every single bouquet felt like another little reminder that 167 00:10:56.080 --> 00:11:00.000 I'm loved, and honestly, moms don't always stop long enough 168 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:03.919 to feel appreciated. Most of us are usually already thinking 169 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:12.840 about the next thing that needs done. Laundry, dishes, dinner schedules, appointments, groceries, 170 00:11:13.440 --> 00:11:17.559 something always needs something. But Sunday forced me to slow 171 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:22.639 down a little bit and just receive love, which honestly 172 00:11:22.759 --> 00:11:25.440 is harder for moms than people realize. 173 00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:26.639 We're so used to. 174 00:11:26.600 --> 00:11:31.399 Being the givers, so when everybody suddenly starts pouring into you, 175 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:35.720 it almost feels emotional in an overwhelming way. We spend 176 00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:39.360 time visiting with Gavin and Riley and also Tristan and Keenan, 177 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:42.960 and one thing I love most about our family is 178 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:47.480 that we genuinely enjoy sitting around talking together, because I 179 00:11:47.559 --> 00:11:51.320 know not every family has that. Not every family can 180 00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:56.440 just sit together comfortably, laugh together, spend time together naturally, 181 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:00.720 and I never take that for granted. There's something beautiful 182 00:12:00.759 --> 00:12:03.840 about looking around the room and realizing your adult children 183 00:12:03.879 --> 00:12:07.159 can still want to spend time with you, that they 184 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:11.639 still come around, still visit, still laugh together. That's a 185 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:16.360 blessing and honestly, as a parent, it makes you feel 186 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:21.960 like maybe you did something right. Not perfect, nobody parents perfectly. 187 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:25.600 We all make mistakes, we all have moments we wish 188 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:29.440 we could redo. But when your grown children still come home, 189 00:12:29.879 --> 00:12:34.399 still choose family, you realize love matter more than perfection 190 00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:38.320 could ever. Later on Mother's Day, Kenna and Christian stop 191 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:41.159 by with our three grand babies, and let me tell 192 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:44.960 you something. Nothing changes the energy of a house faster 193 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:50.720 than grand babies walking through the door. Instant chaos, instant laughter, 194 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:55.960 instant noise, tiny shoes coming off in the entryway, little 195 00:12:56.039 --> 00:13:01.480 voices echoing through the house, Sticky little hands wanting diaper bags, 196 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:05.879 getting dropped on the couch, And honestly, I love every 197 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:10.000 second of it. There is something magical about becoming grandparents 198 00:13:10.759 --> 00:13:13.960 because you get all the overwhelming love of having babies 199 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:17.639 around again, but with a different perspective this time. When 200 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:22.480 you're a young parent, you're exhausted all the time, you're surviving, 201 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:28.399 you're stressed, you're worried about everything. But as grandparents, you 202 00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:31.279 slow down enough to fully soak in the little moments. 203 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:36.000 You notice tiny things more, the laughs, the little voices, 204 00:13:36.519 --> 00:13:39.559 the tiny shoes by the door, the way they reach 205 00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:42.240 out wanting to be held, the way they look at 206 00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:46.000 you when they're concentrating on something, the little expressions that 207 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:49.639 look exactly like one of your kids did. At that age, 208 00:13:49.799 --> 00:13:53.399 you realize how fast childhood really goes, because now you've 209 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:58.759 already lived through it once, so every moment feels extra precious. 210 00:13:59.080 --> 00:14:02.320 And seeing Kenna and Christian parenting their babies is honestly 211 00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:05.639 one of the most beautiful things ever, because suddenly your 212 00:14:05.720 --> 00:14:09.679 children become the parent and you see pieces of yourself 213 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:15.120 in them. You see traditions continuing, love continuing, family continuing, 214 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:18.879 and its emotional and the most beautiful way. The house 215 00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:24.000 felt so alive, everybody talking, kids moving around, people laughing 216 00:14:24.039 --> 00:14:28.360 from different rooms, and honestly, those are my favorite sounds 217 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:32.720 in the entire world. Not silence, not peace and quiet, 218 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:37.240 family noise. That's what home sounds like to me. Eventually, 219 00:14:37.399 --> 00:14:40.360 Kenna and Christian headed home with their babies, and not 220 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:43.840 too long after that, Colin stopped in and Colin came 221 00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:47.360 Barren gifts too. He got me a really nice water bottle, 222 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:50.000 a water raft, and a cooling towel. 223 00:14:50.440 --> 00:14:52.799 I laughed because those gifts were so. 224 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:56.279 Thoughtful and practical at the same time, and that's one 225 00:14:56.279 --> 00:14:59.480 of my favorite kinds of gifts honestly things somebody picked 226 00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:02.919 up because because they genuinely thought about you and what 227 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:06.279 you'd enjoy. And I could already picture using all of 228 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:10.759 this this summer, especially the water raft, because if there 229 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:15.399 is one thing about our family, we love summer. We 230 00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:19.240 love being outside. We love pool days and sunshine and 231 00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:23.320 cookouts and chaos and everybody running around. We love long 232 00:15:23.480 --> 00:15:27.000 evenings on the back deck. We love watermelon on the porch. 233 00:15:27.679 --> 00:15:30.360 We love the kind of summer that wears everybody out 234 00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:33.799 in the best possible way. So getting summer gifts honestly 235 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:37.679 made me excited for everything coming up. And again, it 236 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:41.039 wasn't even about the actual items, it was about being 237 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:46.679 thought of. That's what makes moms emotional, feeling seen, feeling appreciated, 238 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:50.240 feeling loved. And throughout the day, I kept having these 239 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:54.279 moments where I look around and just feel incredibly grateful 240 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:58.840 because there were years when life was hard, years when 241 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:03.080 we struggled, years when we were exhausted, years when we 242 00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:07.080 wondered if we were doing anything right. And now suddenly 243 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:10.039 you're standing in your kitchen on Mother's Day, surrounded by 244 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:14.240 growing children and flowers and gifts and laughter and grand 245 00:16:14.279 --> 00:16:18.120 babies and love, and you realize every hard season was 246 00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:24.480 worth it. Every sleepless night, every sacrifice, every stressful moment 247 00:16:25.159 --> 00:16:28.440 worth it. Later on, Adam came by too, and he 248 00:16:28.519 --> 00:16:31.639 brought me a caramel cake. And let me tell you 249 00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:38.679 right now, that cake was amazing, absolutely amazing. The frosting 250 00:16:38.840 --> 00:16:42.399 was that perfect kind of caramel that's halfway between glaze 251 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:46.240 and icing. It had the soft pole when you cut 252 00:16:46.279 --> 00:16:50.480 into it, that deep brown sugar smell, that little hint 253 00:16:50.519 --> 00:16:56.159 of vanilla underneath, And honestly, there's just something comforting about 254 00:16:56.200 --> 00:17:01.639 somebody showing up with a dessert, especially caramel cake, because 255 00:17:01.720 --> 00:17:05.359 caramel cake feels like something a grandma would make. It 256 00:17:05.400 --> 00:17:09.920 feels old fashioned, it feels like Sunday afternoons. It feels 257 00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:12.440 like the kind of dessert that doesn't try too hard 258 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:15.319 to impress you. It just shows up and it tastes 259 00:17:15.400 --> 00:17:18.559 like home. And by that point, the kitchen counters were 260 00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:26.880 becoming completely filled with Mothers Day things, flowers, gifts, food, plants, cards. 261 00:17:27.480 --> 00:17:31.160 It looked like love exploded all over the house. And 262 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:34.279 I remember thinking how beautiful it is when a family 263 00:17:34.359 --> 00:17:37.759 keeps showing up for each other, Because life gets busy. 264 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:46.039 Everybody has responsibilities, schedules, work, kids, stress, but people still 265 00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:50.359 made time to stop by, to visit, to celebrate, to 266 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:54.319 love on me. And I don't take that lightly at all. 267 00:17:54.759 --> 00:17:59.160 Then my younger girls, Madison, Torren and Anelin, along with Jeremy, 268 00:17:59.160 --> 00:18:03.119 gave me even more flowers, along with vegetables to plant, 269 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:05.240 and a huge strawberry plant. 270 00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:10.119 And if you know me, you know I love things 271 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:10.640 like that. 272 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:16.799 There's something so peaceful and grounding about gardening, about planting things, 273 00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:21.000 watching things grow, taking care of something, And honestly, I 274 00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:24.200 think motherhood is a lot like gardening in a weird way. 275 00:18:24.680 --> 00:18:29.759 You plant, love, you nurture constantly, you protect you water, 276 00:18:30.119 --> 00:18:33.400 you encourage growth, and then one day you look around 277 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:39.000 and realize everything bloomed. That's exactly what motherhood feels like sometimes. 278 00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:43.000 And the strawberry plant especially made me so happy because 279 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:46.480 I could already picture it growing throughout the summer, little 280 00:18:46.519 --> 00:18:50.599 reminders of this mother's day every time i'd see it outside. 281 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:53.400 I love the idea of a mother's day gift that 282 00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:58.559 keeps going, something that grows, something that comes back, something 283 00:18:58.640 --> 00:19:01.400 that turns into actual free you can pick and share. 284 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:05.440 And honestly, I already know exactly where I'm going to 285 00:19:05.480 --> 00:19:07.039 put it. I want it somewhere. 286 00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:07.799 I'll see it. 287 00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:11.359 Every single morning when I walk outside with my coffee, 288 00:19:11.559 --> 00:19:14.920 because gardens are funny like that. You walk past them 289 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:18.920 every day and you notice tiny changes, a new leaf, 290 00:19:19.400 --> 00:19:23.359 a new bud, a new little berry forming, and every 291 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:26.720 time you notice something new, you smile. It's like the 292 00:19:26.759 --> 00:19:30.720 plant is celebrating with you in slow motion all summer long. 293 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:35.359 Jeremy also got me bass soak, which honestly felt like 294 00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:39.359 the funniest but most accurate mom gift ever, because I 295 00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:45.519 think mothers collectively are all exhausted like permanently, and the 296 00:19:45.559 --> 00:19:50.680 older I get, the more exciting relaxing gifts become. Years ago, 297 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:55.160 maybe I would have wanted something flashy. Now give me 298 00:19:55.359 --> 00:20:00.559 bass soak and quiet. That's luxury. And honestly, Army knows 299 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:04.640 me so well. After all these years together, he still 300 00:20:04.680 --> 00:20:08.920 manages to pick things that feel thoughtful and comforting, and 301 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:13.359 that matters. Marriage changes over the years. Young love is 302 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:19.039 exciting and passionate and chaotic, But long term love that's different. 303 00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:20.039 It's deeper. 304 00:20:20.680 --> 00:20:24.680 It's somebody knowing exactly what comforts you, exactly what you 305 00:20:24.920 --> 00:20:28.880 need exactly how to love you after years and years 306 00:20:28.960 --> 00:20:33.319 of life together. It's somebody knowing that bath silk is 307 00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:37.240 going to mean more than jewelry on a tired Mother's Day. 308 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:40.920 It's somebody knowing that you light up over flowers and 309 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:45.279 plants instead of expensive packages. It's somebody knowing your love 310 00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:49.240 language without you ever having to explain it, and that 311 00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:52.319 kind of being known that's one of the most underrated 312 00:20:52.359 --> 00:20:57.079 gifts in a long marriage. And honestly, there's something really 313 00:20:57.119 --> 00:21:00.640 beautiful about building a life with somebody over decks gates, 314 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:05.480 especially when you've raised this giant family together, because there 315 00:21:05.480 --> 00:21:09.319 are so many memories woven into your relationship, so many 316 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:13.240 seasons you survived together, and standing there on Mother's Day 317 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:16.920 surrounded by our family honestly made me emotional thinking about 318 00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:21.039 how far we've come, because there were days years ago 319 00:21:21.559 --> 00:21:25.640 when life felt overwhelming. Raising a huge family isn't easy. 320 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:31.799 It's beautiful, but it's also exhausting. There's always noise, always laundry, 321 00:21:32.599 --> 00:21:38.519 always dishes, always schedules, always somebody needing something, And when 322 00:21:38.599 --> 00:21:41.400 your kids are little, you spend so much time just 323 00:21:41.400 --> 00:21:44.759 trying to survive the day that you don't always realize 324 00:21:44.759 --> 00:21:48.400 you're building something beautiful. But when the holidays like this 325 00:21:48.519 --> 00:21:52.359 happen and suddenly you see it, You see the life 326 00:21:52.400 --> 00:21:55.559 you build, you see the love you created, and it 327 00:21:55.640 --> 00:21:56.039 hits you. 328 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:56.680 All at once. 329 00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:59.960 By the evening, we decided to have a cookout from 330 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:05.279 Mother's Day dinner, and honestly, cookout food just tastes like 331 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:09.240 summer and happiness to me. Jermy grilled hamburgers, corn on 332 00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:13.799 the cob and asparagus, and the smell outside was incredible. 333 00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:18.279 There's something about real smoke in the evening air. It 334 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:22.400 instantly feels like family time. It instantly feels like summer 335 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:27.519 is coming. It instantly feels like everything is okay. And 336 00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:31.599 while Jeremy cooked, everybody was outside talking and hanging out, 337 00:22:31.799 --> 00:22:34.640 moving in and out of the house. Somebody kept the 338 00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:38.559 screen door swinging open and closed. Somebody was laughing about 339 00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:42.000 something on the porch. Somebody was holding a grand baby 340 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:45.240 up to look at the sky. And I remember standing 341 00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:49.319 there for a second, just taking it all in. The flowers, 342 00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:55.119 the kids, the gifts, the conversations, the smell of dinner cooking, 343 00:22:55.920 --> 00:22:59.759 the sound of people laughing, and I genuinely wished I 344 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:03.039 could freeze time for a minute. Because those are the 345 00:23:03.079 --> 00:23:10.039 moments moms live for, not perfection. Presence that's what matters. Presence, 346 00:23:10.599 --> 00:23:15.000 people showing up, people wanting to be together, and honestly, 347 00:23:15.559 --> 00:23:20.200 in today's world, that means everything. Families are pulled in 348 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:29.000 so many directions now. Everybody's busy, everybody is distracted, phones, schedules, stress. 349 00:23:29.480 --> 00:23:32.160 But this weekend reminded me how important it is to 350 00:23:32.279 --> 00:23:37.160 intentionally gather together, to sit around together, to eat together, 351 00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:40.720 to visit, to slow down long enough to actually enjoy 352 00:23:40.759 --> 00:23:43.880 each other. And I think that's why this Mother's Day 353 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:48.799 felt so special to me, because nobody rushed, people lingered, 354 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:53.079 people stayed, people talked, and those are always the best 355 00:23:53.160 --> 00:23:56.680 kinds of days. I remember sitting there eating dinner thinking 356 00:23:56.680 --> 00:24:01.839 about how motherhood changes over time. Kids are little, motherhood 357 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:08.640 is physical exhaustion. You're constantly moving, constantly helping, constantly cleaning, 358 00:24:09.319 --> 00:24:14.319 constantly carrying something. But when your kids grow up, motherhood 359 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:19.240 becomes emotional. You become the gathering place, the safe place, 360 00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:24.640 the home everybody returns to, and honestly, that role means 361 00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:27.640 everything to me. I want our kids to come home. 362 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:31.240 I want our house to feel warm and welcoming. I 363 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:35.319 want our family to stay connected as life changes, because 364 00:24:35.319 --> 00:24:38.000 at the end of the day, family is everything. 365 00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:38.839 Truly. 366 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:45.039 Nothing else matters more, not achievements, not money, not social media. 367 00:24:45.880 --> 00:24:48.559 None of it matters more than the people sitting around 368 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:51.839 your dinner table. And I think this Mother's Day reminded 369 00:24:51.880 --> 00:24:55.200 me of that more than ever. At one point, I 370 00:24:55.240 --> 00:24:58.799 looked around and realized there were flowers all over the kitchen. 371 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:03.400 We don't know why that specifically made me emotional, but 372 00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:08.400 it did. Maybe because every bouquet represented somebody taking time 373 00:25:08.440 --> 00:25:13.000 to think about me, Maybe because flowers feel temporary and 374 00:25:13.119 --> 00:25:16.759 precious at the same time, maybe because they made the 375 00:25:16.759 --> 00:25:20.240 house feel extra full of love. But I remember just 376 00:25:20.319 --> 00:25:24.759 staring at them for a minute, feeling incredibly thankful. Thankful 377 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:28.759 for my husband, thankful for my kids, thankful for our grambaby, 378 00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:32.559 thankful for the life we've built together. Thankful for the 379 00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:37.880 chaos too, because our life is chaotic, always big family 380 00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:43.119 life is never calm. There's always somebody talking, always somebody 381 00:25:43.160 --> 00:25:48.319 needing something, somebody laughing, somebody yelling across the house. I 382 00:25:48.359 --> 00:25:52.200 wouldn't trade it for anything, ever, because one day the 383 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:56.319 house will get quieter, one day there won't be constant footsteps. 384 00:25:56.599 --> 00:25:59.359 One day, there won't be random kids walking through the 385 00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:03.400 door every few minutes. And I know enough now to 386 00:26:03.599 --> 00:26:07.359 understand that these loud years are actually the beautiful years, 387 00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:13.680 even when they're exhausting, especially when they're exhausting, because this 388 00:26:13.880 --> 00:26:17.640 is life happening, real life. And I think Mother's Day 389 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:21.960 becomes emotional partly because moms realize how fast everything moves. 390 00:26:22.920 --> 00:26:27.039 You spend years wishing certain stages would pass, wishing kids 391 00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:30.799 would sleep through the night, wishing things would get easier, 392 00:26:31.640 --> 00:26:35.359 and then suddenly those stages are gone forever, and you 393 00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:39.400 do anything to relive one ordinary day again. So this 394 00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:43.000 Mother's Day, I found myself really trying to stay present, 395 00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:47.680 trying to notice everything, trying to mentally save little moments 396 00:26:48.359 --> 00:26:52.640 the sound of the grand babies laughing, tourn proudly making breakfast, 397 00:26:53.240 --> 00:26:56.519 tear me standing at the grill, flowers on the counter, 398 00:26:56.880 --> 00:27:01.160 the girls showing me the plants, everybody stopping by throughout 399 00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:06.319 the day, because those little moments are the big moments, 400 00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:12.039 That's the truth. And honestly, I think moms sometimes struggled 401 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:15.880