The sisterhood of motherhood...

Downstairs, in a laundry room washer, is a nursing pillow swishing it's way to cleanliness. It wasn't mine until 5 minutes ago. I was given this pillow by a woman, Debbie, whose last name I don't actually know that I met this morning at Bible study. I am surprised and humbled by this act of generosity, and I'm learning, little by little, about the sisterhood of mothers everywhere.

I began learning about it this pregnancy. I saw the excited smiles and felt the warm hugs of moms who wanted to wish me joy on my new journey. I have felt glimpses of the mom connection through many conversations with those women eager to share their own stories and experiences and tips. They have things that worked for them and things that didn't, and they want to pass those along. I have a closet full of maternity clothes, at least half of which do not belong to me. Their tags are permanently marked with the initials of women I love, "CS," "TW, "RB." When I look at my closet now, I feel loved. I feel the love of a shared ritual, a rite of passage, our 21st century equivalent of the women of the tribe gathering to help with the birthing of a baby. We share clothes, and we all benefit by an expanded 9 month wardrobe. At the same time, I feel passed on to me the well wishes and hopeful days of expectant mothers before me. If you thought you were just passing on a Motherhood shirt, well, you should've known that my sentimental nature might find a way to make it more than that. =)

My due date is tomorrow. Soon, I will be fully entering a new world of experience. And I'm not going alone. I didn't go through infertility alone. There were women to come alongside me, women who knew my pain and could identify. I wasn't alone. And I won't be alone in the joys and pains of motherhood. I've already started receiving emails about the playgroup at church for Seth's age, and I know women in it from my caregroup. This new neighborhood Bible study that I'm going to is 5 minutes from my house, and I've met some young moms there that live within stroller walking distance. Their hugs and sincere desire to have me bring the baby are a great relief to me. I could've gotten to Debbie's house this afternoon with an easy 10 minute walk, but it's really cold out there, so I drove. As I left, rushing to move my car because of the irate bus driver who couldn't get by because I'd parked on the wrong side of the street, she called out to me, "Come by any time. Let me know if you need anything." And I believe that she meant it. When she was me, apprehensive and disoriented with the thought of her first baby, did she hear those words from another more experienced mother and rejoice? I thank the Lord for the relationships and the help that He has always been faithful to provide, no matter where I've lived or how long I've lived there. And I'm thankful for a new world of relationships that I'm just beginning to learn about that He is putting into place even before I need it.