Mary and motherhood

Yesterday, C-man and I went to Holy Hill for our church's retreat to go along with the "A Year in Faith" theme. It was rainy, so not nearly as good as it could have been, made worse by the fact that they didn't have any Plan B for the kids in the rain. But I did like the chance to spend a rainy day that I probably would have wasted away doing something different.

Because recently, I have been trying to figure out ways to be a better mom. How to be more patient, how to do better stuff, and just overall, be a better person for this amazing little man. Through that, I find myself getting kind of attached to Mary. I have never been a big fan of the whole virgin birth, virginity focus. Frankly, I personally think it's a load, regardless as to what my religion preaches. So I really like the idea of this mother, who really took it all on.

Because even if you aren't into the Jesus as a messiah thing, he was a pretty important guy in his time and for history. And what she went through for him to be that was nothing short of amazing. I mean, you never hear the stories of Mary when she was dealing with mastitis from an infant Jesus who just wouldn't unlatch, or when he was a toddler Jesus getting into trouble all the time bonking his head on things he shouldn't have been doing, or the sleepless nights of a sick Jesus, or teenage Jesus sneaking out at night. But you know she went through it all and more. Because every mother does. But then she buried her adult son after he was brutally killed. Something no mother should do. And it's with that light I am finding I can relate to this woman; find comfort in her story because she was a great mother.

So it was cold and rainy, and not nearly enough for kids to do. But I'm still pretty glad we went yesterday. I'm glad I got time to spend with my baby boy, who I know won't be a baby for long, and some time to think about how I can be a better person for him.