Publisher's Letter
“DON'T FORGET TO PRESS RECORD!”
I tell my family that this would be the title of my book if I ever wrote a book. I always intend to record memorable moments but somehow I always seem to forget to press record. This week, I was documenting what I was sure would be a lifelong memory, only to realize too late I hadn’t pressed the record button until it was all over. Even with my below-standard videoing skills, I have managed to document much of my kids’ lives, but they will never understand the joy of watching the VHS tape recording of a dance recital made with an 80s camcorder. Though the shaky shots are almost unrecognizable, it is the thought of the proud grandpa behind the camera that counts!
Becoming a mom has been one of the most remarkable experiences. Every day, I am grateful for the opportunity to hear “Mom” come out of the mouths of our boys. Unfortunately, becoming a first-time mom wasn’t the happy-ever-after moment I had always envisioned. My first son, Trip, passed away, so our journey to parenthood took an unexpected path. As I recently spent a weekend away with some friends, I learned one of my traveling buddies (Hi Jenni!) was one of the nurses working that tragic night. She shared how she got to hold our sweet baby and watch over him. Talk about cue the tears! It’s crazy to think 13 years ago, when all that happened, she and I didn’t even know each other. It’s funny how God is always working behind the scenes of life, and sometimes it only gets revealed to you years later.
My boys are in their tween years. I have called our current season of life the promised land with their ages because they do not have social media or phones, and they still like me and want to be around me. But we are getting ready to exit the promised land as the teenage years are just around the corner.
Motherhood is a gift, and so are siblings. An Isadora James quote says, “A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life.”
This month’s cover story gives insight into the incredible bond of three sisters who embody that quote. When one sister could not realize her dream of becoming a mother, the other two stepped in and said, together, we will make this happen. They were willing to do whatever it took, and they did it without hesitation. My own sister, Brittany, has recently become a surrogate for a family she did not know. To give someone the gift of life is an immeasurable gift. I am so proud of my sister and others like her who are willing to carry out such loving and selfless acts for others. As long as there are people like them in it, the world will always be a beautiful place.
May is a month to honor the loving and selfless: our mothers, nurses, teachers and veterans who have paid the ultimate price. Let us remember to honor them and look for ways to be more like them because when we are willing to step up for one another, you can be sure God is working in the background!
