The other day, walking into the kitchen, something caught my eye out the window. I stopped and peaked through the slats in the blinds and saw my son across the street photographing the flooded dock area along the river. And my heart skipped a beat.

I was not able to understand how much a parent loves their children until it happened to me. And after all the clichés and trite little quotes are listened to and dismissed, and all advice is taken and later discarded and all the bad days and the days of frustration are suffered and forgotten, being a mother to this beautiful boy and girl of mine has left me fragile and strong and terrified and fortified and humbled.