sarah dobbins | editorial, commercial, and child & baby photographer | nashville, knoxville, memphis tennessee » editorial, commercial, modeling, and child & baby photography across Tennessee

to all those moms…

…who feel sometimes like a waitress. or a busboy.

…who are familiar with the feeling of sacrificing a good night’s sleep.

…who have to be the bad guy every once in awhile.

…who clean and pick up only to make room for more dirt and clutter for another day.

…who keep the family going even when she’s sick.

…who have ever worked hard to make a meal, just to have everyone turn up their noses.

there is no job so grueling, so thankless, so important… so rewarding. oh, did I say thankless?

because even when it seems like it is, just remember you are being thanked in different ways than you’d expect.

…like with a lap full of weedy blooms (complete with dirts and roots, and handfuls of grass there and there) because your boys decided to pick you a flower.

…the eyes of a 6-month old, on you from every angle he can get from his bouncy seat as you cook dinner. (you’re the most beautiful thing in the world to him.)

…a bed full of boys in the early hours of the morning, all sprawling and sleeping and snoring. (even though you needed a good night’s sleep you gave in.)

…the exclamations of joy you get when you arrive home after a long day, or a long trip. (you never wanted to get away so badly, yet you’ve counted the hours until your return.)

…contented smiles from a sick boy, under a pile of blankets on the couch. (having the power to make him feel better with a sonic slush and his favorite movie is a wonderful thing.)

…a fake-food onion and chocolate sandwich with a side of plastic lemon served up by your 3-year old to sustain you while you’re working (yes, you have to do the “fake eating” thing, but it’s so worth it!)

you matter. your job is important. your job is difficult. your job is unique.

everyone has a mother, yes. but you were created for your children, and your children were created for you. there is no other relationship like it in the world.

from one exhausted, blissful, frustrated, contented, joyful, overwhelmed, wouldn’t-trade-it-for-the-world mama to another,

happy mothers’ day.

(this is a snapshot of me and my three boys, taken by my husband a few weeks ago.)

I have been keeping up with and praying for a few fellow photographers from around the globe who have had heartbreakingly tragic events transpire in their lives… one of them with a tiny baby Jude’s age who contracted pertussis, one whose sweet sweet girl has been crippled by stomach issues that no one seems to know how to fix, and another whose darling baby boy went underwater in the bath in the few minutes mom stepped out to take care of her other babies. It just totally breaks my heart.

But at the same time, it’s a great reminder of what’s important in life. Not to sound cliche.

Legos all over the dining room table and floor… not important.

Jelly stains on the couch. Not important.

The things on my to-do list that seem like they’ve gotta be done right.this.second.can.i.please.have.a.minute.to.myself… no.

Baby coos.

An oral dissertation from a 4-year old on the merits of dinosaurs having toenails.

A squirrely grin from a 2-year old.

A family wrestling match (sans baby).

These are the things. These are the days. I don’t want to look back on this season of life and remember how much I complained, whined, wished away the hours. I want to treasure my babies every day, every minute, for who they are and what they can do in the here and now. It goes by so quickly as it is, and it can be taken away in a heartbeat.

So I remind myself of this… especially at those 2am wake-up calls by the fellow in the following photo… and I encourage myself, and all of you, to cover your families in love, love, love. You can never regret it.