When they're little, you fill

their bellies,

their bottles and their cups,

their plates with the food pyramid.

their dressers and their closets

their brains.

their bank accounts.

and, of course, their invisible bucket.

Then they get bigger, and you find yourself still filling their

bellies and bank accounts,

but also more now

the fridge,

their sports bottles,

their wallets,

their emotional tank,

and their hopes and dream bucket,

You fill them with

empowering thoughts,

encouragement,

humble confidence,

reasons to remain optimistic,

coping mechanisms

and, of course,

now and forever,

connection and unconditional love.

And along the way,

they fill your heart with all that they are,

in turn,

making you who you've become

-- and, really, she's just who you've been all along --

a woman lucky enough to be assigned the most prestigious role on earth, that of a mother.