Welcome to my Mother'hood': Dear Lisa,

Hi,so happy to meet you in Costco last week. I am so sorry for looking and acting like a wreck,standing in the food court line while wrangling 4 very Lively little girls.They were hungry and frankly so was I.And who can beat the $1.50 lunch for four right? I wanted to write you to thank you.Thank you for taking the time to just listen to a perfect stranger about her day.You didn't know me from Adam really but you listened,laughed and offered up the sweetest advice after I treated you like my personal therapist in that food court line.Thank you for giving me a free pass when you asked if they were ( all mine) and I responded "Today they are"...It had been a long day at that point but even so,you allowed me the freedom to just keep it real. You simply smiled and said I have two girls and they are yours for life you know? You followed that thought with a cute analogy of something like 'daughters are for life,boys are yours until they take their wife'...It made me laugh through my stressed wrecked face.You explained how you married you oldest daughter off a few weeks back.Your face lite up as you described her,instantly.There was something about the mention of your daughter's name that just softened me instantly too.It was so strange.I stood there paying for my pizza and soda,looking a wreck and just absorbed what you said.I then told you about how they all decided to make a mud pool in the backyard,10minutes before we were supposed to leave the house today.I told you how furious I was,and you kindly,with not one hint of judgment in your voice, ask why? You said Let them play,that's what they do.You said to encourage their imagination and not discourage it by worrying about dirt.So I left out the part about spanking them to you.Sorry.I felt convicted and embarrassed in that moment.Because you were exactly right.You went on to tell me how lucky I was to have girls.You explained how you nurtured your daughter's sisterhood.That you expected nothing less.Because we as woman need and thrive in our sisterhood.Biologically or not.We NEED eachother desperately.Another simply truth that effortlessly feel off your lips.All I could do was stand there,in the Costco Food court,tears streaming and listen to you.And nod. Because every.single.thing you said was right on point.I told you through these tears,I don't know why, how I struggled within my motherhood for being the {Tough Mom} and bad guy most days.How jealous I can be because my husband is always the hero,the really fun,cool hero.How I feel convicted for being so tough on my girls,by myself and at times by my sweet husband.You stopped me there.You quietly whispered,No...You so sweetly said they need that.And to always allow my husband to be who he is to them.Gentle and Kind.Funny and affectionate.Never make fun of that or belittle him and who he is to them.Because that is exactly the kind of man they will fall in love with.And that's what I want right?Lisa, you changed my heart right there in that big box store.Your kindness was not overlooked that day.And as Mother's we often can recall the terrible comments made to us,in public,on the daily, by complete strangers trying to tear us down.In our own motherhood and sisterhood as woman.I will {choose} to remember you.Your listening ear,generous encouragement and kind heart will forever change me in some small(HUGE) way.And for that, I am forever grateful.It was a pleasure to meet you.I really hope to run into you again one day,down the road, when I can say you were right and hopfully I look and seem less disheveled and more with it. Hopfully I will carry the joy you seemed to emit from within your soul and share it with another mom and bless her as you have blessed me.

Thank you with Love,

The mom from Costco
Xoxo