A Mama-to-Be's First Mother's Day

This weekend was my first Mother's Day.  I don't know what it's like to be a mom yet, but I do know what it's like to grow a little babe and begin to love that tiny being that doesn't comprehend the world yet.

I had a super unique way of celebrating Mother's Day this year.  It began last week when my sisters and I headed to Southern CA to attend the Ellen Mother's Day show.

18,000 applicants...only 300 lucky women got to go.  My sisters and I being three of them.  How awesome is that?

If you don't know anything about the show, it's basically Ellen throwing a baby shower for her audience.  Everyone is a first time mom (they made an exception for my sisters since it was just so special that we are all pregnant together) and let me tell you, being in a room of 300 pregnant women was such a crazy experience.  So.  Many.  Pregnant.  Women.  Some were due within days of the taping, one woman was 4cm dilated and ended up going into labor by the end of the show, and one woman came in a wheelchair because she was technically on hospital bedrest since she's having triplets.  I'm telling you - that's how much us first time moms are committed to this show!  And it was well worth it.  We received tons of new things that will help us all get started in this motherhood journey.  And some of these items are going to be super helpful financially as husband and I prepare for losing income when I start working significantly less hours after baby comes.  PRAISE JEHOVAH-JIREH!  God is already providing in the most creative ways.  He is good.

We got there super early so that we could get good seats.  Out of 300...we were numbers 19, 20 and 21.  BOOM!

Backstage they had what's called the Riff Raff room where they had snacks, drinks, bathrooms, and those that accompanied some of the preggo ladies could hang out there during the taping.

We couldn't take any photos in the studio, so we made sure to take a few in the Riff Raff room.  It was such a surreal moment to be there!

Afterwards, we made a pact not to tell our husbands what our prizes were so that we could watch their reactions when we all watched it together.  We just told them that we got a pickle...which was true. :)  Then we soaked our feet in the tub after the long (and amazing) day.

On Friday, we got to watch the show with our husbands, the kids and parents.  The three of us were on TV multiple times including within the first minute!  It was so fun to watch.  I had an aisle seat with my sister, Kelly, to my left, and my sister, Becky, was in the aisle right in front of me.  Ellen danced right by us when she first came out - we were dying!  And see that lady in the yellow dress?  That's this gal, she was invited by Ellen here and she was awesome!

And that was just Friday - we had the whole weekend ahead of us, but we were SO tired and thank goodness I didn't have to go straight back to work.

On Saturday, we just hung out, drove around looking for rentals, went to church and then had dinner with friends.  I got my first Mother's Day rose at church - which felt super weird and crazy that this is my life now even though I don't have a baby in my arms yet.

On Sunday, which is actually Mother's Day, I woke up super emotional.  I think it was the first time I've been overly emotional during this pregnancy and it may have been due to exhaustion, the fact that it was Mother's Day, or maybe I just woke up funny, who knows...Luckily, husband made me breakfast, we went out and bought some flowers for our mamas, and then my in-laws drove down to our place and we went for a drive to go see the Methuselah Tree (basically a suuuuuper old Redwood tree that's famous in our area), had a picnic, played cribbage and just relaxed together.  It ended up being a solid day.

Mothers are amazing humans and I am so grateful for mine and my husband's.  I am still in awe that God is allowing me to be one and I only pray that I can be half the women they are.

This is a lifetime journey and commitment and I'm amazed that my story of motherhood is starting now.  I'm excited to see how much growth and strength is in my future.

Happy Mother's Day!