Today, is Mother’s Day and although I’m just doing laundry and homework with the kids, I’m having a great day because BOTH of my girls wished me a happy Mother’s Day this morning. This is the first year that Ali has had the words to say, “Happy Mother’s Day” and it’s amazing to hear! I love her voice and the way she pronounces every single word in her special way. I’m so proud of her!

I hope all the wonderful moms out there get a gift as special as hearing Ali say, “Happy Mother’s Day”.

I know a lot of moms of children with special needs. These are some of the strongest women you will ever meet. They spend hours working with their children to try to make their lives the best they can be. They are not only moms but nurses, teachers, medical experts, advocates, therapists and cheerleaders. They put the needs of their children above everything else, often to the detriment of their own personal lives and sadly some friendships and then when their children defy the odds or succeed at something, they refuse to take any credit. Some of these moms stand by their children through countless surgeries, medical procedures and painful therapies and as hard as it is, they wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Some of these moms do it knowing that time is limited with their child and some do it knowing that their child will never be independent and that they will need to live this life for the rest of their life but either way, they strive to help their child live life to the fullest. They are there every step of the way, not because they have to be but because they want to and they wouldn’t have it any other way. Some of these woman live lives that make mine look so easy and they do it with so much grace and are so thankful for what they have. Some of them are close friends and some are fellow Costello Syndrome moms, there are even a few that I’ve known since before I had kids! So many of them inspire me to a better mom. I know that a lot of them are wishing for something other than a material gift today. They are wishing for first words, first steps, a pain free day for their baby or peaceful outing with their kids. I hope they all get something special, especially the ones that are wishing for their kids to beat cancer or survive until next year on Mother’s Day.

Regardless of whether our kids have special need or are typical, none of us are perfect but there are many ways to be a great mom. It’s not easy but the most important thing is that we make sure that our kids always feel loved. By loved, I don’t mean buying them things or sharing poems on Facebook about how wonderful they are. That’s easy and doesn’t hold much meaning. I think as a mom, it’s my job to stand behind my children through thick and thin. We show our children that we love them by always supporting them and listening to them, always doing everything we can to help and trying our very best not to hurt them. I know it’s not always easy to put someone else ahead of yourself which is why I want to celebrate all the great moms. Sadly, there are children in this world who grow up without ever feeling like their moms really care. Can you imagine what a huge impact this would have on their lives? That’s why I think those of us that try really hard to be great moms and who have kids who always know they’re loved deserve to really be celebrated.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s in my life especially my mom and my sister. I’m very lucky to have their love and support through everything! There is nothing more important then knowing that your family is always in your corner and luckily for me, I never have any doubts!