for my mama, and the one who made me a mama

How did I get so lucky? On Mother's Day, of all days, I have to ask myself that. I am bookended by two amazing females!

On one side there is my mom...

Since I was a babe my mom has been one of my best friends. I knew I could go to her with anything, and she would always listen. She encouraged me, motivated me, inspired me, and advocated for me. She is the kind of mama that I have always wanted to be. 

And she is just as amazing as a Nonnie (the welsh version of grandmother). Gwen is lucky to have her, and so am I. 

On the other side, my daughter...

She took me and transformed me into a Mama.

A friend of mine wrote the following, and I had to share, since I couldn't have said it more perfectly myself!:

Please tell me, I said to them, how do I raise a daughter who is strong, determined, independent, comfortable with her feelings and voices her opinions, but who also listens and always does what I ask her to?!

They laughed and gave me the answer I knew I would get: you don’t.

Of course they are right. Everything that’s driving me crazy right now is everything I want to raise you to be. So keep at it baby (I mean big) girl. Keep striving and voicing and running against the wind. One day those “no, no, no”‘s, “dat! dat!”‘s and “me do!”‘s will serve you well.

Gwen is already such an amazing, independent, fun little girl. She has taught me so much already, and I can't wait to learn and grow with her for the rest of my life.

All of the photos here of Gwen and I are courtesy of my Uncle Wray...

I only hope that I can be to her, what my mom was to me.

Seriously, how did I get so lucky?


To all the mama's out there... we've traded late nights for early mornings, designer bags for diaper bags... but there is no better job in the entire world. Happy Mother's Day.