More Than "Mom"

Lately, I've been thinking about how easy it is to lose sight of yourself in motherhood.

Not because you stop being yourself.

Not because motherhood takes something away from you.

But because being a mom becomes such a big part of your life that it can sometimes feel like it's the only thing people see.

The days are filled with diapers, meals, schedules, laundry, and making sure everyone else's needs are met. Before you know it, months go by and you've spent so much time caring for everyone else that you've barely stopped to think about yourself.

And yet, underneath the title of "Mom," there is still a whole person.

A woman with interests.

A woman with talents.

A woman with passions.

A woman who is still growing and learning.

Motherhood changed me in countless ways, but it didn't erase me.

I'm still me.

I still have things that bring me joy.

I still have gifts to share.

I still have dreams, goals, and pieces of myself that exist outside of motherhood.

Sometimes life has a way of reminding us of that.

Sometimes we experience moments that make us pause and remember that we are more than the roles we fill for other people.

Those moments matter.

Not because motherhood isn't enough, but because we were never meant to stop being ourselves when we became mothers.

The truth is, both things can exist at the same time.

I can be completely devoted to my daughter and still be my own person.

I can love being a mom and still have passions outside of motherhood.

I can cherish this season of life while continuing to grow into the woman God created me to be.

Being a mom is one of the most important parts of who I am.

But it isn't the only part.

And remembering that doesn't make me a worse mother.

It makes me a fuller version of myself.