Being A Mom Means...

I had a wonderful weekend with my family {and hope you did too} but my mind has been spinning since the big "Mother's Day" has come and gone. I always get really sentimental on Mother's Day because I am in love with the thought that God picked me and my kiddos to go together.

I never knew if I'd be a mom. I never expected I would be. At just 21, I had ovarian cysts that caused me a lot of pain, a lot of testing, and a lot of worry. After my first ultrasound, I was told I had 9 cysts on one ovary and one big one that wrapped all the way around my other ovary.

My doctor at the time was extremely lacking in personal care when she came in the room to give me test results one day. "If you want children, you should start trying now. I don't think they'll be possible by the time you're ready." My heart sunk. I was only 21 and I had JUST started dating someone...the hubster...but we were nowhere near the place where having children comes into conversation.

Fast forward a few years to when the hubster found a tumor in a self examination and thus began his battle with cancer. He went through treatments and won his battle {thank the Lord} but his doctors told him that the chemotherapy may make it impossible to have children. Not only that, they told him that it's possible that a child could be born with a serious problem or deformity if we did conceive.

The hubster and I took it all to prayer. We didn't want to get our hopes up too high but we were pretty sure that God had a child in mind for us. In fact, the month I had my calendars put together to track ovulation so we could start trying to conceive, I found out I was already pregnant. 9 months later, I met Alex...the little boy who would completely change my life by giving me a new purpose.

Two and a half years after we had Alex, I had Eliana. Oh, how my heart overflowed that day. Having 2 children, a boy and a girl, was something I never thought would happen to me.

It was during this time my OB told me I had been suffering from endometriosis for all those years. I still do struggle with the pain of it but am thankful that my case is not so extreme that I couldn't conceive.

Being a Mom means miracles happen. And the days I find myself completely frustrated with the craziness that can stir up in our home, I stop and remember that my children are gifts and I choose to love them through whatever the present scenario is.

And now, if I could, I'd like to encourage you to make a visit to the Johnson's Baby Facebook page. For every "like" they receive, they will donate $1 to the March of Dimes. Also, beginning this month, they will be hosting monthly photo contests. Winners will be receiving prizes and the grand prize {$25,000} will be given in Jan. 2012.  Let's work together to bring joy to many moms by helping their little ones get well.

*I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson’s and received Johnson’s Baby products and a  promotional item and to facilitate my review.*