source: taken by my friend, Lisa Tarplee

A hurricane made me a mother and my life has been a whirlwind ever since.

The first changes a woman experiences as a mother are physical. The little one growing in the womb slowly takes over and soon its growth becomes noticeable. Some changes, like stretch marks, linger longer than others.

The changes in my life since becoming a mother have been transformative. Sure, I have the stretch marks and other physical evidences of motherhood. But it’s the stretch marks on my heart that will remain forever.

My heart now knows things that I would never have known had I not become a mother. I’ve learned the depths of my weaknesses and felt the deep pangs of a mother’s fear. I understand sacrifice at a level I had never experienced before and know a ferocious love that nothing can break.

Over the past seven and a half years, I have also experienced the amazing transforming power of grace. God has used my children as a mirror, reflecting what’s in my very heart. Many times, it has not been a pretty reflection looking back at me. But God has showered me with mercy and given me grace to grow as a mother, one baby step at a time.

Motherhood is both the hardest job and the best job I’ve ever known.

And ever since that day after Hurricane Jeanne arrived on our shores, my heart has been walking around outside my body–and I’ve never been the same.

With Mother’s Day this coming weekend, I’d like to hear how motherhood has changed you. How are you different? What have you learned about yourself?