BEFORE I WAS A MOM

How do you explain what being a mother is like to someone who has never had kids? The following poem does one heck of a job summing up how I feel. The author is unknown, which it too bad because I would love to give her a big hug for capturing it so well!

Before I was a mom.
I made and ate hot meals.
I had unstained clothing.
I had quiet conversations on the phone.

Before I was a mom,
I slept as late as I wanted
And never worried about how late I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and teeth everyday.

Before I was a mom
I cleaned my house each day.
I never tripped over toys or forgot words of lullabies.

Before I was a mom
I had never been puked on
Pooped on
Spit on
Chewed on
Peed on
Or pinched by tiny fingers.

Before I was a mom
I had complete control of:
My thoughts
My body
And my mind.
I slept all night.

Before I was a mom
I never held down a screaming child
So that doctors could do tests
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
When I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small
Could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew that I would love being a mom.

Before I was a mom
I didn't know that feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
Could make me feel so important.

Before I was a mom
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
Every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth
The joy
The love
The heartache
The wonder
Or the satisfaction of being a mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a mom.

I'm a lucky, lucky lady.