Motherhood

Last week, Jason and I finished all ten seasons of Friends.  Needless to say, I was crying my eyes out when we were finished.  I was so emotional about it! Partially because it was that time of the month, and also because I just didn't want it to end.  You know the feeling you get when you finish a really good book and you're just so sad it's over?  I always want to know more about the characters and what happens next, and at the end of the book I'm so heart broken that I can't experience more with the characters that I became so connected to.   

I mean.. look at her.  She's 46 and looks better than I will ever hope to!  I'm obsessed.

Because my "Friends" have been on my mind lately, I started to do a little research on my favorite character, Jennifer Aniston.  She has always been one of my favorite actresses, and it dawned on me that I don't know much about her as a person, I only know the characters that she has played.  I've always thought that we would be friends in real life if we knew each other, but as I searched the web, that was confirmed.  She seems like a kind, genuine person, and from the interviews I read, her humor is right up my alley.  I think she is great!  Despite the fact that she's on my husband's "list."

As I browsed the internet for accurate sources, I came across an incredibly interesting quote by her.  I was reading up on her divorce, and the poor thing had rumors upon rumors upon rumors being spread about it.  Talk about getting personal!  I don't envy all the celebrity's who can't seem to have anything stay private.  Anyway, there was a specific rumor that said the reason for Jen and Brad's split was her refusal to have children with him.  This is what she said,

"...I've always wanted to have children, and I would never again give up that experience for a career." -Jennifer Aniston

 That really struck a cord with me.  A lot of people in today's world say how much women give up by having children, and they even go as far as to criticize and look down on those who do.  I'm not going to pretend that Jen and I are on a personal level and that I know anything about her situation or why she has never had children, but I can draw certain conclusions from that short, but profound quote; That she wanted to, and that her career has gotten in the way of that.  I also believe that if she were to do it all over again, she would put motherhood above her career any day.  Unfortunately, you live and learn, and sometimes you end up learning things a little too late.

I don't thin that every woman should be a mother, especially if they don't want to.  I'm also not putting down those who choose not to have children.  Having children is a very personal choice.  However, I do believe that being a mother is one of the greatest, most noble, and incredible things a woman can be.  It's not something that should ever be criticized, it should be glorified.  When the time is right, I can't wait to be a mother.  To me, it's not a sacrifice.  I'm not giving up who I am or what I love to become a mother, it's what I am meant to be.

To all of you amazing mom's out there, and especially my mom (and my mother in law's), Thank you!  Thank you for choosing to be a mother.  Thank you for kissing every boo boo, reading us stories every night, listening to our troubles and comforting us through them, teaching us right from wrong, not killing us as teenagers, being our shoulder to cry on when the world isn't fair, and being our biggest fan.  It was an incredibly hard, and thankless job most of the time, but you took it like a champ.  You don't hear it enough, but we love you, and we will be forever grateful to you.  Mom's rock!  And I can't wait to be one.