“Why is he already texting me about signing him out for lunch?” Ashly thinks to herself as she looks at her phone while walking into her office. “He” is her son Justice, a senior, and he may just have a classic case of “senioritis.”
Across town, Candi is starting her morning in a quieter way – spending time in prayer, often sitting outside with her Bible and a cup of hot tea. As she prepares for the day, her thoughts stretch across multiple roles: her college-age sons, her young adult son with special needs, and her own mother, who occasionally needs a little extra help.
Meanwhile, Ashlee has already broken a sweat at the gym and is back home getting her kindergartner, Addison, and older son, Cade, up and ready for school – making sure clothes are on correctly and shoes are tied and on the right feet.
Kassie, on the other hand, is bracing for whatever surprises the day may bring as the mother of five young boys. One day it’s a teacher calling about a stowaway lizard in a backpack and the next, it’s discovering the air fryer has somehow made its way into the kids’ play kitchen – and being thankful it couldn’t be plugged in!
And Amanda is busy organizing yet another senior event with other senior moms, while her daughter Annabelle soaks in the final weeks of high school.
These women come from different walks of life, but they share one defining role: they are all mothers, and they love their families deeply.
Motherhood doesn’t follow a clear roadmap. Instead, it unfolds in seasons – each with its own rhythms, challenges and quiet joys.
For Ashlee Lingo, this season is one of constant motion. Her days begin before sunrise and rarely slow down as she balances life as a teacher and a mom. Mornings are carefully timed, afternoons filled with activities and evenings centered around family dinners and bedtime routines.
“It is the most exhausting, but rewarding job at the same time!” she said.
Ashlee has learned that perfection isn’t the goal – presence is.
“My house will never be perfect! We live here!” she added. It’s a perspective many moms eventually embrace: the toys on the floor, the rushed mornings and the packed schedules aren’t failures – they’re signs of a full life.
That sense of fullness often comes with unpredictability, something Kassie Nance understands well. In a home filled with five boys, quiet moments are rare and surprises are guaranteed.
“Chaos? Absolutely! Having five little boys running around, you never know what’s fixing to happen…but I know one day I’ll miss the chaos,” she said.
For Kassie, motherhood is less about control and more about embracing the moment. The mess, the noise and even the mishaps are part of something bigger – a life filled with love and memories in the making. She’s learned to let go of certain expectations, especially when it comes to keeping a perfectly clean home.
“You will learn to let certain expectations go like having a clean house all the time…. We know one day that we will miss this messy house.”
While some moms are immersed in the busy years of raising young children, others are navigating a different stage – the transition of letting go.
For Ashly Vivion, this season is marked by “lasts.” The last high school events, the last milestones at home and the reality of her sons stepping into adulthood. Her oldest son, Seth, has recently married and left home. Justice will remain for a time while training to become a firefighter, but change is inevitable.
“I am so proud of him for being true to himself through high school and making amazing choices as a teenager in a small town,” she said.
In this stage, pride and sadness often exist side by side. There’s joy in watching a child grow into who they are meant to be, but also a quiet ache in knowing everyday moments are shifting.
“These ‘lasts’ I have gotten to experience with him…they have all been bittersweet,” Ashly said.
Looking back, she encourages other moms to slow down and savor the small moments – the late-night talks, spontaneous outings and simple joys that can so easily be overlooked.
“Stop in for the ice cream, have those late night movies and snacks, drive with the windows down and radio up. Soak in all the small things….”
Amanda Mosley finds herself in a similar place, preparing to send off her daughter to college. Like Ashly, she describes this season as bittersweet – a mix of pride, excitement, and change.
“This Mother’s Day feels a little bittersweet, if I’m being honest. I have loved watching her grow into an independent young woman,” she said.
But Amanda also recognizes how motherhood evolves. Where she once solved problems and had all the answers, her role is shifting into something different.
“My role as mom has changed from being the one who fixes everything to being the one who listens, supports…and steps back and watches her fail and pick herself back up.”
It’s a transition that requires trust – trust in the child they’ve raised and in the foundation built over the years. It’s also a reminder that motherhood doesn’t end when children grow up; it simply changes shape.
Few understand that evolving shape more fully than Candi Fry, who is living multiple stages of motherhood at once. From encouraging independence in her college-aged children to supporting a young adult with special needs and navigating conversations with her aging mother, her days require letting go and holding on.
“If I’m being a really good mom, I kind of just go, ‘Good luck,’ and wait for them to reach out,” she said of parenting adult children.
But that approach shifts when it comes to her son with special needs, where the focus is on balancing independence with the right level of support. It’s about recognizing both age and ability – and working to bring those into alignment.
At the same time, Candi is beginning to have difficult conversations with her own mother about changing roles as they age.
“With an aging parent, it’s about maintaining their autonomy while still giving them support,” she said.
Through it all, she emphasizes perspective. Motherhood is rarely steady – it moves between extremes. There are moments of constant demand and others where the quiet feels unfamiliar.
“There are moments where you’re so in demand you need a break – and then stretches where you’re like, ‘Hello, I exist,’” she said.
Her advice to younger moms is simple: trust yourself. “Stop parenting the way everybody else tells you to parent and trust yourself.”
Across each of these stories – whether filled with toddler routines, teenage milestones, or adult transitions – a common thread emerges. Motherhood is not defined by a single moment or stage but by a lifetime of showing up.
It’s found in early mornings and late nights, in chaos and quiet, in holding on and letting go.
It’s in the pride of watching a child succeed, the patience of guiding them through failure, and the courage to step back when the time comes.
And perhaps most of all, it’s in the love that remains constant – a steady, unwavering presence that grows and adapts with each passing season.
This Mother’s Day, these stories serve as a reminder that no matter what stage of motherhood you’re in, the heart of it remains the same. It’s not about having all the answers or getting everything right. It’s about loving deeply, giving freely, and cherishing the journey – every step of the way.