The Important Thing About Moms

…But the most important thing about mom is that she loves me.

The Important Thing About Moms
Anetrius Wallace Photography

When our most recent foster kiddos came to us, they let it be known that books were a rarity in their house. Being in our home must have looked like Belle when she entered the Beast’s library because there are books literally stacked on top of books—quite possibly in every room of the house.

Regular trips to our neighborhood bookstore and library became highlights and picking out our evening bedtime story was coveted glory. But, despite the mountain of literature to choose from, because they were 6 and 3, we had several books on repeat. {Sometimes for several nights in a row. Ya feel me?}

But one book our 3-year-old always came back to was The Important Book. I believe repetitiveness of it helped him with his “required reading time,” but I tend to think he also really enjoyed the mantra on the final page:: The important thing about you is that you are you.

The Important Game

The Important Thing About Moms
Anetrius Wallace Photography

One afternoon I was sitting with my foster kids apologizing to them about some crazy thing I had done or said {who knows what}. And while it wasn’t that awful, we wanted them to know that adults mess up sometimes, too and it’s important to apologize—that they were worthy of respect. My foster son piped up with, “It’s okay, Mama. The important thing is that you love us.” Well sir, yes that’s true. But suddenly, The Important Game was born.

We would call out things during the day and ask what was important about it. “The important thing about a pinecone is that it is pokey.” Or it was a great way to ask about their school day, “The important thing about school was that I played with Cameron.” It also helped me defuse some high octane situations, “The important thing I learned was not to pick up the dog by the tail.”

The Importance of Mamas

The Important Thing About Moms
Anetrius Wallace Photography

Sometimes in the hustle and the crazy and striving to hold the glue together, create the magic, eat the organic, banish GMO, prepare for STEM, and protect from everything—we forget that the important thing is that you are Mom. You are often home base. And even after you feel like you messed up or didn’t bake cookies for the sale or can’t build the best Lego tower ever, you’re still Mama and you still cancel out 98% of the bad in their world.

And, because you may need some of the same reminders I did, here is the adaptation the kids and I came up with::

The Important Thing About Moms

The important thing about mom’s feet is that they dance with me.
Sometimes she walks on them all day and they hurt her. She gets to wear pretty shoes because she’s a grownup.
But the important thing about mom’s feet is that they dance with me.

The important thing about mom’s legs is that they take me places.
They carry her around and she complains about them sometimes. She lets me trace the lines and says it’s because she’s old.
But the important thing about mom’s legs is that they take me places.

The important thing about mom’s lap is that I sit in it.
It goes away when she stands up and sometimes it’s not big enough for both of us so we have to take turns and she says a lot of stuff falls in it.
But the important thing about mom’s lap is that I sit in it.

The important thing about mom’s tummy is that I lay on it.
She says that it’s squishy and she puts chips and salsa in it when it growls and sometimes the dogs lay on it, too.
But the important thing about mom’s tummy is that I lay on it.

The important thing about mom’s arms is that they hug me.
She uses them to carry things and to do the laundry and she has to stretch really far sometimes because she can’t reach.
But the important thing about mom’s arms is that they hug me.

The important thing about mom’s hands is that they help me.
They hold my hand when I am scared and buckle me in my car seat and make me a snack when I’m hungry.
But the important thing about mom’s hands is that they help me.

The important thing about mom’s face is that I can see her.
She smiles when she is happy and she presses her face to mine when she hugs me and I look for her when I am sad.
But the important thing about mom’s face is that I can see her.

The most important thing about mom is that she loves me.
She plays with me and she works and she makes food that I don’t like sometimes and I get in trouble when I lie to her.
But the most important thing about mom is that she loves me.

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Kirsten C
Kirsten C. was born and raised in Texas Hill Country. After becoming a hopelessly devoted Bobcat and earning a degree in Mass Communications-Public Relations at Texas State University, she was wooed by the never-ending culinary options and vibrant street art of Houston and became a transplant. By day she is a marketing enthusiast for a downtown engineering firm, and by night, an over-the-top {and unashamed} dog mom. She and her husband William are licensed foster parents—advocating for children and families—who hope to one day grow their family through adoption. You can follow their unruly journey on their blog, Cornell Chaos. When she’s not trying a new restaurant, playing behind the lens of a Cannon, piddling in the yard, or scouring markets for hidden gems, Kirsten is often found teaching student ministry through Kingsland Baptist Church or escaping at a local coffee spot.

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