My little miracles.

I didn’t know how lost I was until I had you. I’m not going to say my life was empty before you three came along, but I was drifting.

And in a single unexpected stroke of a three-for-one deal, I became moored.

You have taught me patience.

You have taught me humility.

You have taught me joy.

All of you have taught me unfettered love.

Honestly, it can sometimes be a complicated love. That patience has been tested more times than I can count. That humility has been drawn more times than I care to admit. That joy? It’s been hard won and the ride has been well worth all the other stuff.

To Angie and Brad: I didn’t count on you. You were the unforeseen loves. I just didn’t see you coming. But when I met your dad, I realized quickly that you two were along for the ride.

You have been the ones to teach me what it means to be a mother.

It’s not genetics or legal paperwork. “Mother” means so much more than that, we have learned together. It’s a crazy amalgamation of every emotion. It’s incredible responsibility. It’s loving even when it’s really, really hard. It’s showing patience when you feel like you are at your breaking point. It’s anticipating your heartbreak and struggle even when you don’t see it yet. It’s supporting you even when I have my doubts. It’s sharing in your joy and your pain, your laughter and tears.

Angie, my girl. You have come so far. You don’t even know how proud I am of you and how much I admire your strength and tenacity. As you come into adulthood, remember that I’ll always be your mom. In some ways I probably always was — we just had to find each other first.

Sweet Brad. You have always been strong and sensitive. Please don’t ever lose that. Those are the qualities that will make you an empathetic and remarkable adult one day. I’ve always admired how smart and funny you are. I’m your bonus mom, but know that I’ll always have your back — no matter what.

To my Jameson. My Jamie. My beautiful boy. In all my life, I could have never predicted the intensity of this kind of love and the overwhelming nature of bringing a child into the world. There’s nothing to compare it to. You are my wild child. Emotional, yet strong minded. Intense, yet incredibly gentle at times. You are kind and hilarious and smart and confident. For nine-and-a-half months you were a part of my body, but you are forever a piece of my heart.

You three are getting so big and time is slipping by so fast. But please, please don’t ever get so big that you forget that this mama loves you with every fiber of her being.

My children, I am so grateful to have been your student.

This Mother’s Day, I pay tribute to the little ones who gave women everywhere that awesome title of “mother.”

Of course, I realize this holiday is supposed to be about paying tribute to the women that raised you, and please do! However, on behalf of all moms, please accept our thanks and appreciation for making us who we are. Without you our lives would be so much less interesting! Easy is so boring.

And to my own mother, thank you for sticking through the challenges. Thank you for braving the heartaches and tears and sharing in the laughter and times of joy. I see now it isn’t an easy job, that of being mom. OK, I’ll say it … you were right.

Showing gratitude, though, for the relationship and love between mother and child isn’t all that complicated.

Marla Hoffman is the Managing Editor/nights for the Sun Journal and lives in Auburn. She can be reached at mhoffman@sunjournal.com.

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