The Gift of Time with Mom
There are some seasons in life that quietly change you forever.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
But softly… through love, service, loss, growth, and perspective.
This year feels like one of those seasons for me.
Maybe it’s because I’ve spent the last two years helping care for Neil and learning how precious time really is. Maybe it’s because life stretched me in ways I never expected through heartbreak, healing, and divorce. Maybe it’s God’s grace wrapping around me and teaching me patience in places where I once had frustration. Or maybe it’s simply growing older and realizing how fast life truly moves.
Whatever it is… something changed inside of me this year.
And because of that, I saw this year over the three weeks with my mom differently.
My mom came to stay with me for three weeks, and honestly? It felt like it passed in the blink of an eye.
Years ago, I probably would have joked that three weeks felt like three months. But this time was different. This time, I cherished it.
Every single moment.
The quiet mornings drinking coffee together.
The lunches and dinners.
Shopping trips.
Planting flowers.
Laughing so hard we almost peed our pants remembering old stories.
Taking Neil to dinner together and simply enjoying the gift of being present.
No rushing.
No taking the moments for granted.
Just love, connection, and gratitude.
As I sat there watching my mom laugh, I realized how incredibly proud I am of her.
Fifteen years ago, life looked very different.
But today?
She is strong.
She is sober.
She is independent.
She is 71 years young.
And she continues showing up to support not only my sister and me, but so many other people she encounters in life.
She serves others with love.
She encourages people quietly.
She gives without expecting anything back.
And she keeps moving forward with strength and grace.
That inspires me more than she probably knows.
Life has a way of humbling all of us eventually. It teaches us that titles, money, stress, and deadlines are not the things we remember most. What stays with us are the people who sat beside us during coffee talks… the laughter around dinner tables… the random afternoons planting flowers… and the moments where we simply felt loved.
I think somewhere along the way, I stopped measuring life by productivity and started measuring it by presence.
And honestly… that may be one of the greatest gifts God has ever given me.
This Mother’s Day, I just want my mom to know how deeply loved and appreciated she is.
Mom… Thank you.
Thank you for fighting your way through hard seasons.
Thank you for becoming the strong woman you are today.
Thank you for supporting us endlessly.
Thank you for your love, your laughter, your resilience, and your heart.
I am beyond grateful for you.
And as time continues flying by faster than any of us want it to, I hope we never stop slowing down long enough to enjoy the moments that truly matter.
I’m looking forward to spending Christmas and the New Year together already.
To many more Mother’s Days together.
Love, Kimmie ❤️
