Being a Mom is the Toughest and Most Rewarding Job #LifeIsASpecialOccasion

As I write this post, I realize that I have been a mother for the past 16 years.

16 years!

I am in my early 30s (heading towards to my mid-thirties) and I have been a mother basically my entire adult life.

My teen son recently became 16 years old and my identical twin boys are 6 years old so there is a 10 year age gap between both set of pregnancies.  The mother I am today is different from the mother I was when I was younger.  When I became a first-time Mom, most of my counterparts of the same age, were experiencing adulthood, partying and hanging out.  I was stating college, working and wearing an infant on my hip like it was a new fashion accessory. (I used to dress us the same colors or type of clothing, i.e. gray Polo shirts, DKNY jeans, Timberland boots and fur-trimmed FUBU jackets).  I truly grew up with my oldest son – as he grew so did I in maturity and in the role of being a mother.  As I worked as an executive in public relations for the federal government, my job often required me to travel and my son was able to accompany me (to the family-friendly locations).  With the help of my parents, we grew into a little family.

You learn quickly that having a child is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no breaks or holidays type of job.  Your life is forever entwined with theirs. You love them more than you think possible – more than yourself or anyone.  Whatever your child experiences so you do you and you share in their joy, triumphs, accomplishments, struggles and in all details of their lives.

After living with just one son (and being a single mother for most of it), life dramatically changed after I got married to a military spouse and a couple of years the arrival of identical twins.  For the first time in my life, I stopped working outside the home and became a stay-at-home and work-at-home mother.  Though the constant care of two babies at the same time is a daunting one, I did feel more confident in my mothering skills.  Many of the new parenting challenges, I had faced previously and with the help of a spouse and now my oldest son (who was now a big brother), I garnered respect in myself as a Mom.  I still learn everyday as a mother and am no by means a perfect mother – I make plenty of mistakes – but I feel more grounded and have faith that God is continuing to help me be a better mother each day.

I had a very deeply loving relationship with my grandmother (and grandfather) and continue to have the blessing of having a wonderful mother.  I’m the youngest of my siblings (since my parents had me late in their lives) and now my parents are considered seniors already.  I appreciate so much that we live near my parents and my boys are growing up next to them and they each have a special relationship with my Mom (and Dad).

Hallmark has a very creative and sweet line of products for all the special Moms and Grandmother that include, Mother’s Day Pics ‘n’ Props; Mother’s Day Greeting Cards, Shutterfly; One-of-a-Kind Creations; Magic Prints; Everyday Keepsakes.  Any mother will love these customized, personalized and affordable gifts that showcase children or grandchildren.

Want to get in the Mother’s Day spirit? Nominate a first-time mom you want to surprise with a Hallmark care package filled with products to help her capture and celebrate special memories from baby’s first year. Of the qualified nominations collected between April 2 and April 30, 2014, Hallmark will randomly select 100 winners and mail a care package directly to her doorstep, arriving in time for Mother’s Day!  Your nomination enters you into Hallmark’s sweepstakes to win one of five Hallmark Gold Crown gift cards ($100 value each) to be selected at the end of the program. No purchase necessary. Enter: http://tiny.cc/Hallmark100Moms

For more information about Hallmark and their products, visit www.hallmark.com
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Happy Mother’s Day!
Feliz Dia de Las Madres!

Disclosure: In partnership with Hallmark, we are publishing sponsored posts as a Hallmark’s Life is a Special Occasion blogger, however, all opinions stated here are clearly our own.