Happy Mother’s Day to the “In Between” Mom

If you look around you will see all types of Moms in every stage of life. Pregnant Moms, New Moms, Moms of Preschoolers, Girl Scout Moms, Boy Scout Moms… But as a Mom, it is sometimes easy to feel unseen – especially in those “in between” times. When I had the chance to team up with My Florida Prepaid and their Mother's Day Campaign, I knew I had to give a nod to all of us moms who are living in the “in between.”

All of my adult life I have been a mom. I had my daughter just two weeks shy of turning 19 – so it is hard for me to even remember a time where I wasn’t responsible for someone other than myself. I was somewhere “in between” a child and an adult myself and suddenly my whole life revolved around this little girl.

Then seven years later Midge came along – and suddenly I was responsible for two little humans. My time then became split between two – while still managing to run a business and keep my household. Life was spent “in between” math homework and nighttime feedings, Carpool and Conference Calls.

Then there was a time where I felt like my very existence was simply to stay “in between” these two to keep them from killing each other. But then there were also those moments where the love between them was palpable, and I watched as the friendship between them grew into something I never had as an only child.

As they got older life got even more “in between.” While one was watching Dora the Explorer, the other was learning to drive my Ford Explorer. One was dressing up like a fairy princess while the other was dressing up for Homecoming.

I feel like I am at the peak of the “in between” now – with one child a freshman in college and living on her own, and the other one just now coming into her teenage years and deciding who and what she is going to be in life. It seems now that my girls are in their own “in between” even though they are not yet moms.

My oldest is in between adulthood and teenager – learning to live on her own while still having to call me for just about everything. My youngest is in between childhood and teenager – learning to do her hair and makeup while still enjoying a morning spent watching cartoons.

This year I find myself yet again in the “in between” – a not-quite-empty-nester who is torn between being elated to see these girls fly away and wanting to lock every window and door in the house so they can never leave.

As Mother’s Day approaches, I think it’s a great time to acknowledge the “in between” – and no matter what stage of life or motherhood you are in, celebrate it and be thankful for it all. And while it may not always feel like it, it is important to remember that we appreciate you– all of you – at every stage, every milestone, and every “in between.”

MyFloridaPrepaid said it best – “Mother’s Day is a big deal, and it should be. Mother’s Day is the day we all say, “We appreciate you.” And we mean it.”

Thank you to MyFloridaPrepaid for this campaign, and for recognizing how us Moms sometimes feel “unseen” – and for giving me a chance to walk down memory lane and the last 19 years.