Singing “Immaculate Mary” on the feast of the Assumption nearly brought me to tears. When my children were babies, I sang the song nearly every night before putting them in their cribs. Those were special times, just my own little way of consecrating myself and my babies to our Blessed Mother. Fast-forward many years (my kids are now 19 and 16), and though I don’t sing the song much anymore, I do turn to Mary often, especially where my children are concerned.

Those early days of motherhood were physically hard, but these teenage years of motherhood are even more challenging (for me, at least). In one afternoon alone, we often go from angst and tears to laughter and jokes back to tears and then we top it all off with an “I love you more” exchange before we go to bed. This is precisely why I end every night with a little prayer to Mary asking for her motherly guidance and protection.

She is the Mother of God. She is the Queen of Heaven. But what I love and admire most about her is that she “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” (Lk 2:19) As my children grow up, I don’t want to complain, I want to hold these precious memories (even the angst and the tears) tightly and never let go. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.