mom4lifecustomers4

Mom For Life

A true blessing from above,

A heart overflowing with love,

Constant sacrifice,

Any amount of hugs and kisses will suffice,

Kicking and screaming,

Laughing and dreaming,

Running and playing,

Constant praying,

Cooking and cleaning,

More and more and more cleaning,

No weekends or holidays,

A great job that never pays,

Ouch!  All that hair pulling,

Getting into the car seat takes a tremendous amount of lulling,

Little toys,

Lots for girls and some for boys,

Cute little hats and clothes,

Adorable tights and shoes for the toes,

Tucking in for the night and saying our prayers,

Thankfulness fills our hearts as we scramble to find the teddy bears,

Would you ever trade the strife?

No way!  Nothing beats being a mom for life!

-Amy Reinking

"A Mom 4 Life means there will forever more be someone more important to me than me!"

-Siri Heinrichs

"I was sitting nursing my daughter about an hour ago trying to think of exactly what it means to be a 'mom 4 life' and well, that was just it, I mean that is what it is all about! I'm 21 years old I have a 4 1/2 month old daughter who is such a precious gift from God! I mean there are so many women out there who may never know the joy of being pregnant and giving birth and having that wonderful bond of nursing! This is mine and my husbands first child and every night I can't thank God enough for giving me my daughter! Being a mom for life is living your life whole heartily for your child(ren) and just knowing how blessed you are to have them even when they are screaming at 2 am! It's taking on this huge responsibility for the rest of your life. Its waking up so a smiling baby in the morning when you go to get them out of their crib! Being a mom for life means that I have the best job anyone can have!"

-Sarah Day

"I have wanted to be a Mom all my life, so I could go on about this subject forever! But, I'll keep it short ;) I love the verse you have posted on your site. Children are a gift from the Lord, they are a reward from Him. Psalm 127:3. To me that pretty much sums it up! Being a Mom 4 Life means that I am abundantly blessed by God! Because I know that my children were fearfully and wonderfully made by Him! And I thank God everyday for choosing me to be Carter and Brooke's mommy! God bless"

-Bliss Norred

"It means being the most important person in a child's life. You are there to hold and feed them. You are there to love and teach them. Each child is unique, a child of God, entrusted to you to love and teach for the time you have together. Some of the Moms I've known never gave birth. They are Moms because they love children enough to tell it like it is. To teach them what was right was more important than whether that child agreed with them. That is the kind of Mom I've tried to be.

As children and Moms change and grow the relationship changes and grows. My children range in ages from 20 to 11 weeks. I don't love this new baby any more than I have loved the others. I hope I'm a better mother because of what I've learned in 20 years. I miss the little people they were and am amazed by the young people they have become. It brings tears to my eyes to remember them then and see what they are up to today. I know that I can continue to be an influence in their lives as the years go on. I'll always be 'Mom' to my sons and my daughter. I look forward to the next faze of being a grandmother, to seeing them as parents. What an amazing time that will be.

Mom 4 Life!
That's me!"

-Sandy Ewald

"Being a mom4life means being blessed with the responsibility of caring for another human being for the whole of my life.

For me, it means putting aside the childish things of my past and facing my own eventual mortality with hope and humility.

It's an awesome gift- this new life. A gift that is a daily challenge to become a better person and yet is so rewarding!

I'm so lucky & happy to be miracle baby's mom 4 life!!!"

-Kalani Kircher

"I always knew that I wanted to be a mom. In my early twenties, I married the perfect family man who also wanted to have kids. Shortly after getting married, my husband and I started trying to have a baby. Months went by and still nothing happened. We couldn't understand why this would be happening.... we were young, in good health and no obvious reasons as to why we wouldn't be able to conceive. After about 1 1/2 years of trying on our own, we went to a fertility doctor. After a couple of attempts through artificial insemination, still nothing. We were getting to the end of what we could handle... financially, emotionally and physically. We told ourselves that we would do one round of in-virtro and if that didn't work, we needed to put the whole thing on hold until we could figure out what we would do next. Miraculously, in-vitro worked! We now have 2 year old twins. So, as you can see, being a mom 4 life means a whole lot to me! Being a mom 4 life isn't something that I take for granted. I know that I am truly blessed to have our children in our lives."

-Jamie

"Being a Mom 4 Life means that since I have had children, I will be first and always a mom, no matter how old they get. I was blessed with eleven children, seven of which are my birth children, and four of which became mine after they were born. Being a Mom 4 Life means that when my daughter got pregnant out of wedlock at a time when she wasn't ready to have children, I gave her unconditional love and support, encouraging her to have the baby with the reassurance that we would always be there for her. It means that no matter what the circumstances, I will be supportive to other moms in tough situations. I will stand by my 'sisters,' including my daughters, in the solidarity of motherhood. We all need to be advocates for those who cannot speak: the babies."

-Daisy
 

"I'm thrilled to be a Mom 4 Life. I got married a little later than some (I was 31) and my husband is 9 years older than I am, so we started our family soon after we got married and had three little ones one after the other. Thomas and Matthew are 22 months apart, and Matthew and Julia are 18 months apart. Julia is only 6 weeks old so I haven't had too much time lately to just stop and think about how our family is now complete, this is it, our team has been picked. What strikes me most, and what I've been explaining lately to our 3 year old, is they all started out in my belly and I grew them and nurtured them until I went to the hospital and birthed them. They're really mine! And that's what I love about being a Mom 4 Life, knowing these little beings started out in me and I get to watch them grow into non-stop toddlers, then kids learning all sorts of new things, then teenagers victim to hormones, then responsible adults. I already love seeing how different all three are, the most fun for me will be in seeing how their individual personalities develop and how they build their relationships with eachother, with my husband and me providing guidance along the way. I can't wait to see who they become, but I'm hoping I remember these days of hyper activity because as jam-packed as my days are now, I know I'll miss them! Needless to say, we take a lot of pictures and video!"

-Silvia Rohrer

 

"I am a mother for life and I could never think of anything I would do that could come close to the fulfillment that it brings me. I had my son when I was just 20 and after that I had two beautiful daughter. They are now 16, 14, and 12. I am now pregnant with my fourth child, it will be my husbands first child and I am so happy to be pregnant again. I also work as an aid at a second day community school. My children tell me I have 15 more kids there, and I do. My children have been my force to do things everyday. I still call my son My baby boy and he's not embarrassed my email name njtm is Nico, Jessie, Tonia's mom. Now I have to add a A for Alexandria my new baby girl coming in Dec. Being a mom is the reason I get up in the morning, make homemade meals, sew Halloween costumes, and kept track of doctors appointments, club meeting and homework assignments. I am a mom for life and their is no other job I would want in the world."

-Rachel Zavala

"For me, being a Mom 4 Life means walking out God's calling upon my life ... now that I have two boys, that definition is becoming more and more real :-)."

-Cheryl McCabe

"Mom4life

Life focus change –

Fine dining and a movie now equals Chuck E. Cheeses pizza and show

A fabulous new outfit is now from famous designers such as Hanna Andersson etc…

Tropical vacations with friends - Beaches resort with Zoe, Bert, Ernie, Elmo

Saving up for that hot new convertible – now a Barbie hot wheels

And more enjoyment and excitement than ever in dreaming of and living the good life - through the eyes of a child"

-Donna Cepullio

"What a great site! I'm the proud mother of busy and beautiful daughter Aurora (14 months). As I've started my journey as a mom-for-life I've found that when a woman becomes a mother she not only brings a new life into the world, she starts a new one herself! Being a Mom4Life means rediscovering the world as a whole new place, laughing at everything and nothing, assigning new value to forgotten blessings, and stumbling upon creative abilities you never knew you had. It means being everything at once: domestic executive, chef, nurse, coach, playmate, teacher, and friend. It means finding peace in chaos and great joy in tiny beings!"

-Jennie Wilde

"Being a 'Mom 4 life' means having responsibility for another life. It means growing up quickly and learning how to put someone else before you. Being a mom for life is being able to make spur of the moment decisions that may not be popular. It also means showing your little one all of the wonders of the world and helping to guide that special little one on the right path. It also means watching your child grow, change and become the person that they are. Being a Mom 4 Life is an amazing journey that I would never give up and will cherish each and every moment for the rest of my life.
TheAngelForever"

-B. Levine

"What does being a Mom 4 Life mean to me? It’s a special honor and privilege to be a mom and to consider myself a mom 4 life not just a mom for their pre-adulthood. Being a Mom 4 Life means embracing pregnancy as the first stage of life (and I’m usually embracing the toilet during my pregnancies, too) and choosing to make it a healthy one. It means having a birth plan that enables my family to be near the new baby as soon as possible to celebrate the newest arrival. It means sleepless nights, breastfeeding on their schedule, snuggling sweet little ones, singing lullabies. It means kissing boo boos, cleaning up messes, making sick days a little better, reading a good book. It means hugs and kisses, quiet conversations, and fun outings. It means being there even when they push you away because then they will pull you near again. It means loving them when they are being unlovable, it means having a great sense of humor, it means remembering that this too shall pass. A Mom 4 Life is a mom who teaches her children the important things IN life THROUGHOUT life.

What can I say? I love being a mom and can’t imagine how utterly dull life would be without my children. And I’m not looking through rose tinted glasses either. Today, I have a cranky 19 month old, a puking 4 year old, and I’m sleep deprived as I teach the other four kids. Life is good."

-Audra Silva

"God has entrusted me with three children. These are His children, that he has given me to raise. He chose me to be their mom. What an honor to be chosen for them. Also, they were chosen for me. Through my children I have learned so much, and become who I am more so. Being a mom, puts the fruit of the spirit into practice....

~Love, ~Joy, ~Peace (sometimes for us, but to have them see what peace is :)) ~PATIENCE, ~Kindness, ~Goodness, ~Faithfulness, and ~Self-Control.

LOVE: I love my children no matter what (UNCONDITIONALLY)...this is how God loves us. I may not always "like" them...but, nothing could stop me from loving them!

JOY: Kids bring so much Joy into the home...they never leave a dull moment! Sometimes, we get that laughter right when we need it!

PEACE: There is time for quiet times, being ok with a situation/decision, and we take time for ourselves as parents.

PATIENCE: I think this explains for itself, and sometimes I need big doses of it! I need to learn to be patient...especially with my doddling toddler.

KINDNESS: Be nice to your sibling! :) Also, they watch me and my husband and how we treat one another.

GOODNESS: Be kind to one another. BE GOOD! Behave! Obey...etc.

FAITHFULNESS: Be consistent with our children. Follow through. Try to keep promises. Being true to our word.

SELF-CONTROL: Don't discipline out of anger, but out of love. Don't buy them things out of control, because it teaches lack of self-control.

I love my children, and there is no greater reward than being a mom. It is the hardest job out there. I appreciate my mom even more now that I am a mom. I know she still prays for me, is concerned for me, and wants the best for me. I will be the same way. We are to prayerfully bring up our children in the way they should go. I will always be a mom, and my kids will always be my "babies". Mom is the best name in the world."

-Sarah Harvey

"Being a Mom 4 Life to me doesn't just mean being a huge fan and supporter of a fellow mommy site, it means all those cliques you've heard are true.

When I first got pregnant I heard all those sleepless night horror stories I think all new moms hear. I heard of walking around like a zombie due to sleep deprivation and if I chose to breastfeed that my nipples would be cracked and sore. I heard that I would be pooped and peed on, and have breakdowns because I can't get my baby to stop crying. And all of these were true.

What I didn't hear about was that none of this would matter to me. I didn't (and still don't) get much sleep, and because I love my son so much I don't even notice. I think I may be used to it now. My nipples did get cracked and sore, and for about two weeks I suffered through excruciating pain just so I could give his little body the best food possible. My nipples no longer hurt and I may still have to nurse him every two hours but I don't mind. I love it. No one told me that being pooped and peed on could be so funny. And although there have been nights where my son is screaming for no apparent reason, no one told me the amazing feeling you get when you know that the only thing this screaming child wants is to be held close in your arms.

And when my son gets older and thinks I'm lame and uncool, and is embarrassed by the mere site of me, I will still think that EVERYTHING is worth it. I am a mom 4 life. Through all the good heart warming times, to all the bad heart breaking times. This is the reason I was born. This is my whole life...he is my world."

-Angela Parker

"I got pregnant with my 1st child when I was 17 years old and a senior in high school. My boyfriend and I had only been dating a couple of months. I was felt totally scared and alone. I wasn't going to have an abortion because of the morals I was taught and I had seen others girls heartache. Adoption was an option but my boyfriend wouldn't have it. He said he would be there and we would get married so and so on. In my heart of hearts I wanted to believe him. He stuck around during the entire pregnancy. I stayed in school and took two weeks off and graduated. After a couple months he lost interest in my son and me. I told him to leave if his heart was not here and so he did. That day I felt like dying but everyday got easier and I made the decision to get through it and be there for my son. Making the decision to have Gavin was one of he best choices I ever made. I went to college and got a degree in Interior Design. I met husband when Gavin was 15 months, he later adopted him. Nine years later I had my beautiful daughter Lyric and now my 3 week old Lincoln. When I had my son, I committed my heart, body and soul to be a Mom 4 life and I never looked back or thought what if? I just kept looking ahead toward the future with a smile. Parenting is an adventure you never know where it will take you and how it will make you grow."

-Marie Figgins

"I am a Mom4life x 4. To me it means unconditional love. It also means patience and lots of praying. It is not about 'things'. It is about being unselfish and giving. Being there. It means sleepless nights and tears. A shoulder to cry on and arms for holding. It means your shirt makes a good Kleenex for little noses. And spit cleans all sorts of things off furniture and faces...carpet too! Folding wash became my new sport. My lap is always full....and so is my sink!

I am a Mom4Life, I must be strong. My arms are open to the life that God creates and entrusts to my care."

-Jennifer Sheils

"Being a mom for life is the greatest thing I've ever done! It gives life such a purpose, by raising my children with the values that my husband and I were taught we can bring up children who will one day become compassionate, caring adults, who make a difference in this world. It is our greatest joy to watch them learn and grown, and already use those values with each other! It is our greatest sense of peace to have them cuddle into our arms and find their comfort with us. It is our greatest sense of love to have an unconditional love so freely given everyday! And it is our greatest sense of responsibility to raise these babes in a truly responsible, loving, comforting, joyful way!

I love being a mom for life!"

-Sharon Page

"Being a Mom 4 Life is something that amazes me everyday. It means that I hold so much for my children's future, I help shape them into the people they will become. Being a mother has been the biggest blessing. I have learned so much from my children, how to look at life in a different perspective. Only a mother can understand how you feel when your asked 'what is a mom 4 life' It's the women who are trying to hold themselves together while their toddler is sprawled out on the floor in a store screaming their head off. You know exactly how that mom feels, and are glad that time it wasn't you. A mom 4 life is the mom who wakes up to their sick crying baby, and tries to sooth them and will hold them all night with no sleep, or the mom who puts their hands underneath their child's mouth when their about to vomit so it doesn't get on the floor. Even after a hard day of a 4 year old not listening and back talking and the 2 year old crying and whining, you just love when you get to cuddle and read stories and give hugs and kisses. You think to yourself, what did I get myself into, and then you picture their sweet little faces, and realize it is all worth it. My girls are a piece of me, my love, my heart. Being a mother was the greatest gift God could ever have given me."

-Amanda Acuna

"What does it mean to me to be a Mom 4 Life? Putting the needs of my kids  above my own so they may have a bright and successful life leaving the world a  better place and in better condition than before they arrived."

-Drew Janner

"I’ve only been a mom for 9 months, but I’ve discovered quickly that it’s a 'full time job'….harder than any other job I’ve had in my life. This job is different though.....while hard, it’s also the most rewarding one. It’s rewarding when I do something funny and my son’s eyes light up and he smiles. It’s rewarding when I made a pot of baby food and he actually eats it. It’s rewarding at the end of a long hard day when he cuddles in my lap and lets me put him to sleep. It’s a job that doesn’t have a 'break time' or a 'lunch hour' but one that I am constantly on call. People tell you that your life will never be the same when you have children, and they are right….from the moment they put that precious life into your hands you are a mom for life and that’s the best feeling in the world!!"

-Sarah W- missionary, Botswana Africa

"What does being a mom4life mean to me? Ask me again in about 20 years. I'm sure I will have a much different answer. For now I will say that it means the most important journey of my life... with more mistakes than I care to make, more rewards than I can imagine, more strength than I thought I had in me, more weakness than I care to admit, more patience than was ever required of me, more happiness than I ever thought possible, more fear than I am comfortable with, more love to share...and the understanding that life is fragile and moves way too fast."

-Heidi Cooley

"Being a Mom 4 Life means having patience and unconditional love, not just for you own children, but to everyone around you."

-Emily Carpenter

"Being a mom4life… To me, this is an all-encompassing way of life. It’s loving, teaching, giving, and caring for our little ones now- and even when they’re not so little later (it’s a ‘mom4ever’ commitment/enjoyment). It’s teaching our little ones who they are, where they came from, and what their purpose in life is. It’s teaching our children about their family who came before them, and it’s teaching them to live so that we’ll leave this world a better place for our children and their children whom we’ll leave this world to. It’s praying for our children that we can be the best mommy that we can be for them- that we can teach them what they need to know as they grow up to face this world. It’s praying for that little boy out there who’ll grow up to marry my little girl. For me, it’s choosing not to let my baby ‘cry it out’ at night, it’s cloth-diapering, it’s staying home with her even though finances are tight, it’s teaching her sign language now so she can communicate with me before she can talk (and how precious it is to see her sign what she needs!); it’s all things that are good, and healthy, and right. It’s creating memories. It’s taking long trips so our little ones will know their relatives. It’s singing, dancing, laughing, and story times together. Being a mom 4 life is all about doing what I can to make my home a happy and loving place for my family. It’s being a mother not just to our own children but to all children who need love and understanding. It’s about making a difference for our children so that they’ll make a difference for others.
Mom4Ever"

-Amber Grudzien

"My name is Kim, and I am the mother of a very busy 16 month old toddler. My son's name is Jaxon and he is the most special and beautiful thing to have ever happened to me.

Being a "Mom 4 Life" is extremely important to me! Everything I do is based around being the best parent, and more so, a mother, for my child. As a young mom, a full-time University student, and the graduate of a 2 year program at College, I work hard everyday in order to be able to further my child's life and well being. I look forward everyday to coming home and seeing that wonderful smile from my son, knowing that I am doing my best for him.

I am expecting my second child in May 2008 and I can't wait to be able to welcome another little person into the world."

-Kim Vanveen

"What does being a "Mom 4 Life" mean to me?
A 'Mom 4 Life' means being there for my kids forever, in good times and in bad. It means that although some days I may get overwhelmed and frustrated, that I need to take advantage of the time that I have with my young children. I've been told, so many times, that these years pass in the blink of an eye. My mom recently told me that she was going through some old boxes and found a football picture of my youngest sibling, when he was a young boy. He is now 21. As she looked at his picture, tears started flowing down her cheeks. She couldn't believe how fast the time went by, and how her youngest is already a grown man; how most of her kids are now married with children of their own; and how she and my dad are already empty nesters. It seemed just yesterday they had a house full of kids running around and causing chaos!
I know that I am so blessed to have this sacred calling as a mother. I know that it is my duty to raise my children to be the best people that they can be, and reach their highest potential. This is the greatest job in the world and I hope that my efforts will be radiated through my children, when they are grown and have families and careers of their own. I am so lucky to be a 'Mom 4 Life!'"

-April Jacobson

"Being a MOM4life means responsibility. Responsibility in molding a child into a productive adult. And even offering advice in the adult years. Only when asked for though. ;) "

-Cecilia Andes

"To me being a Mom 4 Life means I have the privilege of helping my children through all of the ages and stages of their lives. I am honored to watch them grow from those early infant years into their adulthood! As they quickly pass through these precious years of childhood, I am tucking a treasury of memories in my heart, that bring a smile to my face and a wave of love over my heart. Memories that when they are grown and out on their own will be a comfort and joy to me.

Like a movie in my mind I see all those wonderful times! The early days of struggling to get the hang of nursing giving way to later nursing sessions where my son would wrap his little hand around my finger while he nursed. Those big eyes looking up at me with such trust and love! Then the toddler years where I watched with nervousness as those small legs took wobbly first steps that all too quickly turned into running and smiles of accomplishment and wonder over all he was seeing and learning about the world around him. Next comes the stubbornness and first steps toward independence in those preschool years. Watching little hands work with a determination to do it 'all by himself', then comforting him with words of encouragement when the expectation he has gives way to tears of frustration over not being quite big enough to accomplish his goal. Just a short time later, I'm cheering and clapping with him as a smile of pride glows on his face as he triumphantly walks away with his shoes tied all by himself.

These and many more memories are tucked away in my heart. As my children grow and move through all the stages of childhood, adolescence, and eventually into adulthood I know that my job as a mom will change and evolve but until I draw my last breath, I will always be their mom. The encourager, the shoulder to cry on when they are sad, their cheering section, the strength they need when they feel defeated by life, and everything in between! To put it simply, I am a mom 4 life!"

-Jen Leach

"Being a Mom 4 Life sure has a different meaning to me now, as a thirty-something mother of one, than it did when I first envisioned having a house full of babies ten years ago. I thought I would pop them out, at least six, match them in frilly things, and get them out of the house by the time I was fifty so we could retire in Hawaii. (Oh, the silliness of being twenty!) ten years of trying, countless humiliations at the hands of Army fertility ('What? You have one tube. That is more than enough. You must not be trying very hard,'), and one fabulous adoption later, I am realizing that being a Mom 4 Life isn't about mothering the ones who come out of you, but mothering all around. I think being a Mom 4 Life is understanding that we all have a Mother Heart, and the ways we use it don't end at home. Maybe there will be more than my single squirrely demon, but if not, I am looking forward to being the 'Mom' for the friends that come over to play after school. The 'Mom' for the single soldiers in my husband's platoon who don't have family nearby. The 'Mom' for my delicious nieces and nephews who come to visit. And of course 'Momming' the heck out of my sweet little dictator of a daughter!"

-Jennifer Galan

"To me being a Mom 4 Life means serving God's will and enjoying every second of it.

Everyone has a purpose and I feel mine was to raise a child in the ways of the Lord. Many of us wonder what we are here for, not knowing what plan has been already laid out for us. From the instant I first laid eyes on my daughter, I knew what mine was.

Every child born is not only a gift from God, but also has a reason for being so.

'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart...' - Jeremiah 1:3"

-Donna Hollingsworth

After my Mom passed away (GBM brain tumor) I went through a period of time that I wasn't sure I wanted to be a Mom any more. The reason? I was sad that my child wouldn't know her, that she wouldn't get to see my little one, what if I needed advice? and I didn't want to add any more people to my life that I may one day lose or would have to go through what I just had (losing my Mom).

But....

I did have a child - a little girl.... and I am so thankful! I now truly understand how MUCH my Mom loved me and why she faught so hard against the cancer to stay with us. I am still sad about many of the things listed above - and tears? yes...many tears have fallen. But, although my Mom isn't with me, her mothering is. I remember the way she raised me and the way she took care of my little sisters and taught me to do as she did all those years ago. Although she isn't with me now in body she lives on in me, and in my little girl. In who I am, and what I do, Who she will be, and what she will do. I am a Mom 4 Life but I have also learned that well beyond this life... we continue to mother - and I thank her."

-Sarah Henriques Alton

"Being a mom for life gives the richest meaning to my marriage. My husband and I, in cooperation with the love of God, have been blessed to become the parents of two lovely children. They are the supreme gift of our marriage, and help us every day to grow in love as husband and wife, and as a family. Being a mom for life is being:
Patient and kind,
Not jealous or boastful,
Not arrogant or rude,
Not insisting on my own way,
Not irritable or resentful,
Only rejoicing in the right,
Bearing all things,
Hoping all things,
believing all things,
Enduring all things.

1 Corinthians 12:4-8"

-Julie Shields

"To me, being a Mom 4 Life means that my kids always have someone backing them up should they need help, encouraging them when they falter and cheering for them as they succeed."

-Liz Macmin

"Mom 4 Life...what does this mean to me. Well, I have a 17 month old daughter who is my world. She has changed our lives in all areas. How can you love someone this much? I knew that first second I saw her that I would be a 'Mom 4 life' from then on. She makes me a better person in so many ways. I know now why God put me on this earth and that was to be Sally's mom. It's by far the hardest and most rewarding job I will ever have....Mom 4 life. What a privilege to be able to say that!! I know I could go on and on about how great, how wonderful and how challenging it is to be a mom, but I'll stop for now. Being a Mom 4 Life is just the best!!"

-Corrie Gade

"Being a Mom4Life means a lot to me.

It means to love with an unconditional love. To always be there, for the good times and bad. It means a dedication, consecration and faithfulness. It means to give your everything with no thought as to the cost.

I am a Mom4Life of two little boys. I am blessed to stay home with them each day. I love watching them grow and develop. There is something new everyday. There have been some rough times that have shaped me and some sweet times that have molded me into this Mom4Life. Nothing can take away the memories. There have been nights that I have had mere minutes of sleep and took on the next day as if it were natural because it was. I was doing the job that God has called me to do. It is amazing to me how things look and feel differently when they are covered in love. I am and always will me a Mom4Life."

-Candice Domerese

"I have always known that I wanted to be a Mom. Even in college when people asked what I intended to do with my degree, all I really knew is that I wanted to be a Mom. I watched my sister run her home as she mothered 2 beautiful girls with awe. I just knew that was the life for me.

Years passed. I did finally find the man I was to marry, but we were in no condition to have children. God need us to work through some things first.

More years passed. Finally in 2003 I became pregnant. I had a medical condition that required me to give myself injections in my stomach every day during the pregnancy. Every day as I prepared the shot I had to remind myself, sometimes out loud, that it was all for love. The love of the baby boy inside me. Motherhood was, of course, harder than I ever dreamed. Even from pregnancy, it pulled so much love from me that I never knew existed.

Years passed again. 2007 brought another joyful delivery... a daughter. Every day I am amazed that I can possibly love both of them more than I did yesterday! But I know this is what I was created to do and be. I don't know if more children will come from my womb, but I know I will be a mother again.

I have always been a Mom... and I will always be. And it is more rewarding, more full of love than I ever imagined. That is what it means to be a Mom 4 Life."

-Sue Ellen Hale

"Being a mom 4 life means that I have this awesome privilege to a part of molding and shaping a little life into a person who loves the Lord and will be a worker for His kingdom. I'm a first time mom and I'm learning how humbling it is (I'm NOT in control of everything... no matter how hard I try) and how rewarding it is too. It's been tiring and has completely changed my life but has been completely worth it. I am reminded of this every time I look at his precious smile and see him totally content in my arms. I am realizing more and more how being a mom 4 life means I need the Lord even more to have wisdom and patience. Being a mom 4 life means learning to live doing everything with 1 arm/hand, never sleeping in again, learning to dodge streams of pee, packing for a road trip for ONE errand, and looking forward to many more memorable moments."

-Christina Shin

Being a Mom 4 Life means a lot to me this week. My grandfather passed away on the 13th and I watched both my mother and my children grieve, as I grieved myself. It's hard enough when a loved one dies, but to see your own child grieving makes it only that much worse. As a mom, you just want to make your child's pain go away. Being a Mom 4 Life means that I am there to comfort, both when my children are young and as they get older. I saw this as my own mother comforted my sister and I with her hugs. And I comforted my oldest as her tears fell when she said good-bye to 'Great Pop-Pop.'

All four of my children attended the funeral. They knew and loved 'Great Pop-Pop,' even though they only saw him a few times a year. Being a Mom 4 Life was so clear to me as I held my 10 month old and grieved near my grandfather's coffin. I was with the beginning and end of life. And I would be a mom to my children until the end of mine. My motherly roles will change, as will my relationships with my children, but I will always be their mom. Someday I may even get the wonderful opportunity of mothering my grandchildren. Being a Mom 4 Life means impacting that generation as well.

This past week since the funeral, things have returned to the normal chaos that life with 4 children brings. As their mom (and home school teacher), I am often exhausted by lunchtime. Some days I just want to take a 4 hour afternoon nap! But, as a Mom 4 Life, I sacrifice sleep and 'me' time often. The snuggles and smiles they give, the drawings they make, and the silly plays my children perform more than make up for it. This is Life 4 Mom...for now. As they get older, I will get more sleep and less drawings...and my days will be filled with other mom joys and trials. I look forward to each new step on my mothering road. I am so glad I get to be a Mom 4 Life."

-Donna Fenton

"As my son's last mom, a mom 4 life means to me that I will be there to support him and provide answers as he is a different race than my husband and I. It means that we will provide a firm foundation for him and pride in his heritage by celebrating holidays and practicing responses with him when he gets the inevitable adoption questions. If he chooses to search for his birthparents- I will support him and relish meeting his first mom- the mom who gave birth to him and shares the sound of his laugh and the look of his face. Although, I've never met her, I feel that I know a little bit about her through observing my son. Where ever life takes him, I will be there to provide guidance along the way."

-Jenifer Bubolz-Miller

"I am a Mom 4 Life. I have six 'kids' from 28 down to 5, and now I am a Gramma 4 Life as well. I love being a mom and gramma - it is what I do. It is my number one occupation and recreation!"

-Maryann Mah

"What it means to be a mom for life. It means I have been given a tremendous wonderful job. The Lord decided that he was going to allow me to raise a couple of His kids. It means that I get to 'train them up' the way that He would have me do it. It means that everyday I get to look to my Father in heaven and thank Him for these little people in my life among all His other blessings. It means that everyday that I struggle through this calling, this ministry that He has me in, I will hopefully be growing in my walk with the Lord. He will be sanctifying me and conforming me to the image of His Son. That will allow me to witness to my kids and show them how wonderful Our God and Savior is. My first priority as a mom to my kids is to do everything I can to make sure they know and love the Lord. I want to make sure they understand what was done for them. As mothers we love our kids so deeply, that no words can fully describe exactly how we feel or how much we love. When I think about the fact that this small example of love doesn't even scratch the surface of how much God loves us, well my mind is just boggled! This is what I want to be first in my mind as a mom. Of course to be more specific, there are other 'perks'. I love going to bed with one sleepy little boy next to me and waking up to 4 giggly little boys. They seem to multiply in the night. I love the pictures and the hot wheels in my bed and chocolate muffins under pillows. I love being a mom to my 4 little men. I only hope that I can raise them along with my husband into 4 God fearing men."

-Brooke Gue

 *The opinions and statements expressed are that of  the contestants and are not necessarily the opinions of the Mom 4 Life staff.