I wrote this “Motherhood Mission Statement” while in a cabin in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State last year. At the time, Tessa was just a wiggle in my belly, and I’d decided that before I was fazed by the demands and pressures and craziness that a baby outside the belly was sure to bring, that I’d decided exactly what kind of mother I want to be.

I decided that I would come back, year after year, and make sure I am still being everything I have always wanted to be for my children. This is pretty much intended to serve as my North Star of motherhood, and as the years go by, I promised that I would add to this list and stay true to it, heart and soul.

And here I am, exactly one year after writing this Motherhood Mission Statement! Tessa is now 8 months old, and I’ve found that not only have I stuck to my mission statement, but that there are TWO things I’d like to add! (I anticipate this list to always be growing – but never changing!)

My Motherhood Mission Statement

I will always love my children unconditionally and constantly strive to let them know that they are loved and cherished.

I will do everything in my power to ensure that my children are healthy both physically and emotionally. I will provide healthy, whole, and minimally processed foods for my children and foster healthy eating habits and good hygiene.

I will expose my children to a variety of cuisines, music, hobbies, art and locations and give them every opportunity to be cultured and world-savvy. I want my children to be as comfortable in a fine art museum as they are hiking through a forest.

I will let my kids explore their interests, and foster a creative and imaginative spirit. I will encourage playing make-believe, playing dress up, singing silly songs and using mom and dad as a jungle gym. I will let them know that a light spirit and a sense of humor, even when things go wrong, is a virtue.

I will raise my children in a godly, Christ-centered household where family prayers, Bible studies and Christian outreach is regular and sincere. I want my kids to be familiar with the Word of God and to see the love of Christ lived out in their parents.

I will homeschool my kids and make every opportunity a learning opportunity for them. I will impart life lessons as a day to day experience of life and surroundings and teach my kids to think, not just to learn. I will foster a love of literature in my kids and give them ample opportunities to be involved in activities in their community.

I will do my best to teach my children morals and ethics, and to work towards an attitude of humility, honesty, integrity and goodwill toward others. I will give them opportunities to be good stewards of their surroundings, from nurturing, loving and raising animals, to tending a garden, to helping those less fortunate, to protecting our environment.

Things I’d like to add (Mother’s Day 2014):

I will always respect my children’s bodily integrity and individual rights. I will strive to raise them to be respectful and to know that they are valuable, precious and worthy of respect. They will know that they are entitled to their own opinions, thoughts, ideas and dreams and at no point in their lifetime have they ever been inferior because of their age, race, religion or any other factors.

I will always strive to discipline and not simply punish my children. I will set clear guidelines and boundaries and when correction is required, I will try to the best of my ability to not discipline in anger or passion. I will make a point to not spank or strike my child while feeling emotional or upset and will clearly explain why (actions and consequences) the discipline is being enforced.

This Mother’s Day…

For Mother’s Day, Jonathan gave me a French Press and some nerdy leggings (the best balance of domestic and geek!) and then Jonathan and Tessa took me to Bravo Farms in Traver, California – one of our favorite outings here in the Central Valley.

We shared a strawberry lemonade in a wide mouth mason jar and had a blast watching Tessa play in the playground with the Tonka trucks, splash in the water troughs and try to grab any children that came within arm’s length of her.

We also learned that turkey’s and goats are apparently VERY scary, although chicken’s and alpaca’s don’t seem to be so bad. Donkey’s also apparently make Tessa very sleepy. So all in all, it wasn’t a terrible first trip to a petting zoo for our little human!

We forgot to bring my camera, so the only photos we captured of the day were on Jonathan’s cell phone, but aside from my being camera bereft, it was a fun day!

What did you do for Mother’s Day? Do you have a Motherhood Mission Statement? What do you have in your mission statement that differ from mine or that you would add that I have missed?