When I was a child I remember always playfully arguing with my mom whenever she would tuck me in for the night.
She would come into my room in the evening when I was ready for bed, tuck the covers around me, kiss me and hug me, and with a wish of "sweet dreams" would leave the room. As she made sure the door was open wide (the way I liked it) on the way out she would say "I love you!"
"I love you more mom."
"You will never know how much I love you until you have children of your own! Sweet dreams kiddo..."
Then she would leave to go read or to finish last minute things before going to bed herself.
Sometimes we would tease each other about who loved the other more throughout the day:
"I love you mom!"
"I love you too April"
"I love you more!"
"I love YOU more."
"Nu-uh!"
Back and forth until in the end mom would say "Until you are a mother yourself, you will never know how much I love you!"
As the years past we had these kinds of playful conversations often. Through my teenage years, even up to when I was married.
Then I had a child of my own.
She was right (as she often is!). We no longer argue about who loves the other more... We both know who loves the other more. But since having my own children I know that my love for her has grown as well, due to knowing just how much she loves me.
As I go throughout my day, tidying up (lets face it, I don't like to clean), and making sure homework gets done, making sure the dishes are in the dishwasher, and being a mediator to my childrens arguments sometimes my daughter will say to me:
"I love you mom!"
"I love you too Missy."
"I love YOU moooore!"
To which I reply "You will never know how much I love you until you have children of your own!" And I hug her and squeeze her and watch as she goes to find her brothers to play with.
4 comments:
This is one of my favorite games!! We say: "I love you more than strawberry ice cream." "I love you more than sunshine." etc., etc... "I love you more than THE FUTURE!!" (Dah-zha came up with that one!)
So true, so true. Do you have the book "Guess How Much I Love You"? It's kind of like that conversation between you and your mom, and now you and your kids!
April! I loved this post! What an awesome thing for you to be able to pass down to your kids. Isn't a mother's love incredible? Your mom really knew what she was talking about. Beautiful story.
What a cute post. Your mom is the bomb dot com. It's true; you don't know the intensity a mother has for her child until you have one.
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