Magic

To a child's ear, "mother" is magic in any language.

- Arlene Benedict

More than anyone

Even today, when I think about my mother for any reason, what first jumps to mind are memories of her telling me that she loved me more than anyone in the world.

Bill Russell

Dancing

A loving and careful mother both recognizes

and even protects her daughter's autonomy

and also helps her dance out confidently

on to a wide stage.

Rachel Billington

Interwoven

However time or circumstance may come between a mother and her child, their lives are interwoven forever.

Pam Brown

photo:trekearth.com

Ultimate Gift

Beyond all lessons, beyond the model she provided, my mother gave me a parent's ultimate gift: she made me feel lovable and good. She paid attention; she listened; she remembered what I said. She did not think me perfect, but she accepted me, without qualification.

Fredelle Maynard

Photo: trekearth.com

Where we come from

Children thirst to hear where they came from . . . they need to know that they were desired, that their birth was a wonder, and that they were always the object of love and care.

Marcelle Clements

photo: stock.xchng.com

Security Blanket

She made me a security blanket when I was born. That faded green blanket lasted just long enough for me to realize that the security part came from her.

Alexander Crane

Photo from Trekearth.com

Purpose

I thought my mom's whole purpose was to be my mom. That's how she made me feel.

Natasha Gregson Wagner

photo by stock.xchng.com

100 percent

My mom used to say it doesn't matter how many kids you have . . . because one kid'll take up 100 percent of your time, so more kids can't possibly take up more than 100 percent of your time.

Karen Brown

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Miraculous

In the sheltered simplicity of the first days after a baby is born,

one sees again the magical closed circle,

the miraculous sense of two people existing only for each other.

Anne Morrow Lindberg

photo from stock.xchng.com

Mother of all children

Becoming a mother makes you the mother of all children. From now on each wounded, abandoned, frightened child is yours. You live in the suffering mothers of every race and creed and weep with them. You long to comfort all who are desolate.

Charlotte Gray

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Love them

Before becoming a mother, I had a hundred theories on how to bring up children. Now I have seven children and only one theory: love them, especially when they least deserve to be loved.

Kate Samperi

Photo from stock.xchng.com

Individuality

Motherhood brings as much joy as ever, but it still brings boredom, exhaustion, and sorrow, too. Nothing else ever will make you as happy or as sad, as proud or as tired, for nothing is quite as hard as helping a person develop his own individuality especially while you struggle to keep your own.

Marguerite Kelly and Eilia Parsons

Pure Love

I saw pure love when my son looked at me, and I knew that I had to make a good life for the two of us . . .

Suzanne Somers

Photo from stock.xchng.com

Favorite Toy

You will always be your child's favorite toy.

Vicki Lansky

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Portraits

A mother's children are portraits of herself.

Anonymous

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Welcome to Mother Lode

Looking for the best quotes on motherhood and parenting? Check out my favorite quotes. I became a mother at the age of 40 when I adopted an infant from China. I hardly have words to describe how this has changed my life, but I hope these quotes will be a start.