Best Mother’s Day Gift

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“You are imperfect, you are wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.” – Brené Brown

As I type this, I can hear my kids 10 feet away slurping their hot chocolate. It’s the end of a busy weekend. We had our family over for Mother’s Day and now are winding down.

I’m trying to put my finger on the feeling. Over the course of the weekend, in addition to hosting a family party, my kids and I played a lot of baseball, done chores, cooked meals, watched movies and worked on a project outside to transform an area of our back yard. That last activity involved a lot of manual labor as we dug out a flat space and installed pavers to turn what used to be the base of the kids’ playhouse into a cozy place to sit in the garden.

In the last 48 hours, we’ve hurt our knuckles on the rough paving stones, cried some, especially when we lost our baseballs, and laughed a lot more than we cried. Along the way to finishing our project, we also bought this silly ball pitching machine that sends small 1.6 inch diameter foam balls zinging across the yard at 30 miles per hour. My body aches from moving heavy stones and gravel and chasing small yellow balls.

But my heart is so full. It’s the camaraderie with our extended family. Also this feeling that I’m right where I should be. I love my children whole-heartedly…and I like them too.

When I chose to start a family as a single parent ten years ago I had very little idea of how much work would be involved. I was listening to a God whisper about what came next for my life.

The Mother’s Day feeling I’m having right now? That I belong in this life. I suspect that might be one of the best gifts ever.

(featured photo is mine of our work in progress garden seating area)

You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/ and Instagram @wynneleon

I host the How to Share podcast, a podcast focused on the wisdom and research about how to share anything – to the appropriate audience, with the right permissions, at the most opportune time.

I also co-host the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast, an author, creator and storytelling podcast with the amazing Vicki Atkinson.

My other projects include work as a CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer), speaking about collaboration and AI through the Chicago Writer’s Association, and my book about my journey to find what fueled my dad’s indelible spark and twinkle can be found on Amazon: Finding My Father’s Faith.

68 thoughts on “Best Mother’s Day Gift”

  2. Sounded like a beautiful Mothers Day weekend, Wynne. I’m glad you had that with each other and your extended family. Enjoy the upcoming week ahead! The school year seems to be winding down too!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. I love your seating area. Good job! Indeed the best Mother’s Day gift is belonging to the life you have at the moment. I bet you were tired at the end of the day, but a good tired.

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  4. oh, wynne, this made me tear up. yes, sometimes we suddenly realize we are exactly where we are where we are meant to be, scraped up knuckles and all, the chaos and love and joy and challenges of what makes a family –

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  6. What a wonderful weekend making memories. Your backyard space looks beautiful. You have so many more memories there to come. I’m impressed with the ball pitching machine!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. The ball pitching machine is crazy, Elizabeth – but also hilarious! As you know, it’s a journey when our kids go all-in for a sport! 🙂 Hope you had a fabulous Mother’s Day!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. How much fun! Yes, it was life changing when our kids went all in on swimming. I was fortunate they were in the same sport! I had a wonderful Mother’s Day and will see the kids soon.

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  7. favorite line: “I’m right where I should be. I love my children whole-heartedly…and I like them too.”

    I can relate so much to that with my adult children. Admitting that there have been rough times when I haven’t liked them very much. And, accepting that they might not be the person I thought they might become, but, instead, a much truer version of themselves. Motherhood is amazing.

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    1. What an incredible comment, Gwen! It takes a lot of flexibility, acceptance, and grace, doesn’t it? Hope you had a fantastic Mother’s Day!

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    1. Thank you, Brad! Also, my apologies because for some mysterious reason a couple of your comments went to SPAM. I recovered them but now can’t find them to reply. I’m sorry! I appreciate your comments so I’ll try to do better!

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Of course that is the best gift ever Wynne. You are enjoying every moment and your children are thriving because of it. There is no greater gift than this kind of love. Beautiful post Wynne. What a lovely Mother’s Day reflection. 💕

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  11. Sounds like a fun and eventful weekend! I admire that you are a mother by choice living her dreams. Like “climb every mountain” you’ve found a “dream that can mean all the love you can give all the days of your life for as long as you live.”

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  12. I’m with other commenters. This is such a great line. “I love my children whole-heartedly…and I like them too.” I think it’s so touching for me . . . because it’s such an amazing thing when your kids don’t see you and you watch them help others or do something amazing. It gives you all the feels. You see all of your hard work pay off. A neat feeling.

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  13. I’m glad you had a fulfilling Mother’s Day! I can’t relate to being a mom, but the sore muscles from manual labor? Yep. Pretty much every Monday is a recovery day this time of year.

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  14. “The Mother’s Day feeling I’m having right now? That I belong in this life. I suspect that might be one of the best gifts ever.” It doesn’t get much better than this. I’m happy for you and your kids, Wynne. You’re amazing!

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  15. Oh my dear Wynne, what a beautiful feeling of elation and satisfaction with everyone and everything you did that made your Mother’s Day exceptionally memorable. Beautifully delivered my friend. Have a FANtabulous week! 🤗💖💐

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  19. Goodness, this is a beautiful post. That sense of belonging — what a tremendous gift. And I hope you guys have tons and tons of great times (laughter! stories! s’mores!) at your cozy patio in the yard 🌞

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  20. “But my heart is so full… Also this feeling that I’m right where I should be. I love my children whole-heartedly…and I like them too.” Mic drop. Happy belated Mother’s Day.

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  23. That garden spot looks so inviting! What a lovely nook for quiet conversations, reading, firefly watching, marshmallow roasting, and more. I had no idea you were a single mom, Wynne. I admire your courage! And I pray God’s blessings of strength, wisdom, and JOY upon you, as you raise your young ones.

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  25. camaraderie is the best feeling; praise to you Wynne; my family is grown now but I enjoyed the years we spent together; and the grandkids still phone me and we have chats; happy days 🙂

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  27. I reread this several time, Wynne! “The Mother’s Day feeling I’m having right now? That I belong in this life. I suspect that might be one of the best gifts ever.” You are such a wonderful mother.
    Lots of love to you and the kids.

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