Did you know that the word mother/mom/momma/mama/mommy comes from the word mammary - as in mammary glands - as in breasts? It's because the breasts are made to nourish our babies. (This is not a bash against bottle-fed babies at all - only pointing out where the word mother comes from.)

I believe that motherhood is the highest of all callings. Though it's not always glorious, it's very rewarding. Motherhood in all it's glory is the producing of children - whether by giving birth or adoption and raising these children.

A mother is someone who has to have eyes on the back of her head. A mother has to learn to kiss all the boo-boo's and believe that they do heal. A mother has to be able to clean up the messes that children sometimes makes - all the poopy diapers, all the pukey moments - we mothers have to march forward with a smile on our faces. It's what earns our badges.

What are our badges? Well, very misunderstood by a lot of people - but the first badges of motherhood are the spit-up stains on our shoulders, from burping our precious newborns. Then the badges turn into sad hearts - as we let go of our children day by day - encouraging them to become their own person. Then the badges turn into something known as friendship - when our children grow up and become equals with our maturity. And last but not least - the grandest badge of all - the title of "grand" mother -when our children becomes parents themselves.

Mothers have to see the best in our children, we have to encourage and raise them to be respectful, functioning adults. Motherhood should not be taken lightly - it's the largest of responsibilities and the highest of all callings.

Anybody can "have" children. It takes a woman of integrity to become a "mother."

© Lori Ramsey, Reproduction without permission is prohibited.