In Honor of Moms This Mother's Day

I think (and am told from others) that my greatest characteristic is my compassion. I think this, for many reasons, makes me a great mother and now grandmother; but also can make it hard at times, too.
All my boys are now grown men and I still go through so much of what they go through.....Us moms don't stop hurting with (and for) our children even when they are all grown up!! I just can't "kiss the boo-boos away" and make things okay for them anymore and that is the hard part!!! AND, I try my best not to be a meddling mom with my grown children.....
I am a very proud mom and now the very proud grandmom (ma-ma) to a very beautiful granddaughter who I have helped to raise since her birth. I take care of her full-time (monday thru friday) while her parents are working. I like to call myself a SAHG (stay-at-home grandma!)

Great posting!

My best characteristic, at least according to my husband, is my ability to keep a realistic perspective about our son and us as parents. I work with moderately-to-severely disabled children and have learned not to freak-out over little things and little mistakes on our part because in the grand scheme of life, they are so very minor.

Happy Mother's Day to everyone!

Awesome post!

I would say mine is my ability to "follow through" with motherhood. I've always been the type to start something and lose interest quickly, especially if it gets tough. I have found that being a mother has challenged me to push on and figure it out. Now don't get me wrong, its not like giving up was ever even an option. Its more that I strive daily to make my children happy. When the going gets tough, instead of giving up like I would with anything else, I push myself even harder to figure it out. I was born to be a mother and didn't even realize it until I became one. Everyone talks about "their calling" and this was most certainly mine.

This is fun! I'd say my ability to be kind, loving and giving to my children and husband...yet firm so they won't try to walk all over me :-) It's a balancing act, but totally worth it. Happy Mothers Day to you too!

AW, fun post! I'm looking forward to reading all the answers... I don't know about a characteristic of MINE, but the thing about motherhood I love the most is all the things I re-learn from my children. They are so innocent and trusting and pure... they look at things in a new light every day, simple things that we take for granted. The questions and comments that come out of my kids mouths on a daily basis really makes me take a step back and think. We get so wrapped up in our daily schedules that we forget to literally stop and smell the flowers. When was the last time you went to the park and looked around like it was the first time you'd been there? Do you remember the first time you saw/heard a train? Children are curious by nature and I love their reactions to things. My 1st daughter cried the first time she saw the ocean because she was overwhelmed by how big it was. I asked her why she was sad (she was 3) she said she wasn't sad, she was crying because it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. That made ME cry... because for so long in adulthood I associated the beach and the ocean as another chore, beach bags to pack, sunscreen, towels, sunhats, etc... and she really made me take a step back and really take it in all over again... it's the simple things in life we take for granted, and our children are here to remind us how wonderful and simple and amazing life really is :)

Persistence and "bulldoggedness": I feel like these are the best qualities I bring to being a Mother. They make me look at life's little "adventure" as a puzzle to be solved, a prize to be won, a mountain to climb... and when you get to the top, and look out over it all, you know you're a winner because you never gave up or quit trying:) I really try to instill that in my kids as well, -- they need to believe in themselves, that they can "do it" and be proud of continuing to try and succeed.

For me it would be PATIENCE! I have a 4yr old, 15 mo twins and a 4 month old and we still all like each other! As a SAHM, I think it's important for me to stay calm and patient because the children will feed off of my energy. I am so proud to see all my children love each other and be such happy, playful kids. Cheers to all you mommies out there! Happy Mother's Day!