I have been growing so much in recent months, I find I keep coming back to the same thoughts. My biggest blessings in my life have been my kids.

I could spend pages writing about our lives, our trials and our moments of becoming a family. But, when I look back I often feel like I could have always been a better mother. So, let’s let go of the past and realize what we have accomplished as a family.

I am sure we all can relate to Mom guilt, not doing everything right and losing ourselves in life. I have always considered myself a single mom no matter how many times I was married, my kids are mine and I never expected anyone to help guide them.

I am sure they have no idea how many times I put them above and beyond anyone else or what was sacrificed along the way. And the end goal is that they never know but that they always feel loved.

Through the years, I have often prayed about the right way to handle things and though I questioned myself, I always did the best I knew how. Even when I have been wrong and had to painfully recognize that I am not perfect.

As they have become adults and parents, I now get to watch them figure it all out. I get to watch them be a dad and a mom. What I will tell you is that it truly makes my heart happy. They are damn good parents.

I have to believe they wonder sometimes if they are doing everything right too and I pray for the day that they see their kids become reflections of their parenting the same as I do.

As much as I have worked to reconcile several things over the past few years, being a single mom and judging myself for all the times I didn’t do it right has been at the top of the list.

After many days of reflection and prayer, this is how I describe my Mom success: My kids are healthy, safe, and responsible adults. They have found a partner in their lives that they love and in return love them. They have all become parents to some amazing little people. They speak their mind and confide in me for advice or just to vent. They are smart and reasonable, they protect their families and guide them all in a healthy direction. Most of all… they still call and text me when they want to just talk. They still show up for holidays and all make me smile with just their presence.

I believe if after all that we have endured through childhoods, teen years, divorce and many other life events that we can still have a solid family relationship then somehow I am succeeding as a Mom.

~Many Blessings