INTRODUCTION

On May 7, 2012, a nurse placed a fresh seven-pound baby on my chest, and a wave fell over my body like fog cascading down a mountain. In that moment, we were all alone, even though there were six other people in the room.

Nothing could have prepared me for that love, for the raw emotion that enveloped every fiber of my being. Nothing could have prepared me for the daily sacrifice, for the way my body and soul would change time and time again, or for the challenges I would face in my marriage and friendships now that I was a mother.

As I dove headfirst into my new role, I quickly realized that I needed more than just sleep training books and a few lasagnas in the freezer. Much more.

I needed to know that I wasn’t alone in this.

I needed encouragement and reassurance on the days when I felt invisible. I needed someone to look me in the eye and say, “I see you. You’re a good mom.”

Which is exactly how I want to start this book, so let me say that again:

I see you. You’re a good mom.

This is the book I wish I had received as a new mother. These pages are not full of suggestions or instructions (which is a good thing because we certainly aren’t experts!). We aren’t going to tell you how to parent, how to potty train, or how to do anything at all.

Rather than offering advice, we’re offering ourselves. We’re offering our hearts, our truths, our confessions, tiny epiphanies that came to us in the middle of the night. This is our collective memoir—stories that weave together the love, joy, and magnificent heartache of motherhood.

I like to think of this book as a quilt of sorts. We each show up with a few squares in our hands, and they all look and feel different. Some are soft with polka dots; others are bright with bold stripes. Some are frayed, and some have a few holes. Some squares are from days long forgotten, but as we began sorting through what we could bring to the table, we held them up and decided to try and salvage what remained. We believe with the right design and perfect thread, we can sew together these wild and beloved pieces to make something beautiful.

May this quilt serve as a marvelous reminder of our calling, of this holy work of motherhood, of our tattered stories and fairy tales, of where we have been and where we are going. May this quilt serve as a statement, a narrative, a piece of art woven together by one of the strongest threads God has given us here on earth—that of motherly love.

May it provide you comfort. May it always keep you warm.