For When You’re Surprised by Motherhood {A Giveaway}

I still remember the first time I saw him. How that nurse picked him up in that striped hospital flannel and handed him to me like he was the sturdiest thing made.

I’ll never forget the feeling–that overwhelming weight. Knowing there’d be no turning back, blended with a depth of love I’d never known existed.

I fell hard for him. Yet just days later I cried leaving the hospital, crushed by the responsibility of my new-found motherhood and all it would require of me.

It’s been over eighteen years now, and I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve been surprised by motherhood.

Weary sleep-deprived days, sprinkled with the intricacies of working part-time.

Mastering breast pumps while away, and nap time becoming the goal of my everyday days. 

Hugs and cuddles, followed by time-outs and crucial conversations. 

Sharpie marker art on skin, legos as weapons underfoot, birds and bees talks, and advice about girls.

Driver’s permit passenger rides rendering me a tangled mess the entire freeway ride, and so much play-doh all over the floor it may or may not have been banned from our home.

Oh there have been so many delightful surprises, and yet so many messy ones too!

As a labor and delivery nurse, I can promise you, even the very beginning of motherhood is messy.

We labor and our babies enter the world, handed over to an already-weary mama ready for that orange juice over crunchy-pellet ice ASAP. And through the years they will undoubtedly be surprised by this miracle called motherhood again and again and again.

Today, my friend Lisa-Jo Baker is delivering a baby of her own into the world!

A brand new book called Surprised by Motherhood: Everything I Never Expected about Being a Mom.

It’s a book for anyone who’s ready to be done with the try-hard, never-enough ways of motherhood.

A book for anyone who has a mom, is a mom, or knows a mom–words ready and waiting to inspire you to share fully, feel deeply, and celebrate the joy of what motherhood was always meant to be, a life-long journey of your heart toward God.

Lisa-Jo takes us on a journey through friendship and laughter, struggles and trials, grief and sorrow, and all the way back to deep joy again . . . through the doubts and dark places of our mama-hearts, and into all the shiny glory motherhood can be.

And like an intimate friend who sees and knows your heart, Lisa-Jo guides the way for your raw places to be seen and your wounds to be healed–until your daily days begin to sing, and you know, without a doubt, YOU are not alone.

I came to visit her shortly after her baby was born. And I’ve been holding her beautiful baby for a while now, enamored and in love with the gift she is to the world.

And today, I’m pulling back the hospital curtain and inviting you in!

Because who doesn’t want to leave the waiting room and come into the delivery room to behold the new squishy soft pink skin waiting there?

Won’t you come on in?

We’re ready for you to wash your hands, and sit down and hold her.

And when you do, be prepared!

You’re going to fall in love.

What has surprised you most about motherhood?

Won’t you consider sharing this post?

#GIVEAWAY!! “Get @lisajobaker’s #surprisedbymotherhood TODAY!”  [Tweet that]

You can purchase a copy of Lisa-Jo’s book,

Surprised by Motherhood: Everything I Never Expected about Being a Mom starting today!

And it comes in audiobook too, read by the author in her beautiful South African accent.

And can I just whisper something to you? 

You’re going to love this book SO much.

Get ready to set aside time for page-turning reading, and you’ll want to buy an extra copy for someone you love.

Trust me, it’s SO good!

You can get the first three chapters HERE for FREE!!

I’m giving away THREE copies of Lisa-Jo’s book!

Enter here!

Related posts:

For When You’re Surprised by Motherhood {Book Club with Lisa-Jo Baker} On Parenting, Divorce, and Feelings of Failure {The MOB Society} Mended :: When You Need to Remember God Loves You {Week 7}