Photo by AS Photography

May 2025 Editor's Note: Vibrant Blooms

May 2025

by Stephanie Toews, Executive Editor

“And if you allow it, motherhood will be the most pruning and blooming season of your life. Uprooting all that didn’t need to stay, making way for all that was always meant to be. If you let it, it will transform you completely.”

@WILDFLOWERWRITINGS

Motherhood is the most extraordinary journey. It's beautiful and heartbreaking, humbling and pride-inducing. It pushes us to the end of ourselves and uncovers a strength we didn't know we possessed. It's a balancing act of choosing battles, giving without fostering entitlement, empowering while supporting, and allowing space for our children's struggles to build grit and grace. Mothers are their children's voice until they find their own and their roots as their branches begin to grow.

The journey of motherhood is not paved with gold; it is filled with sleepless nights and constant worries at every stage. It's a continual setting aside of self, feeling our children's emotions more intensely than they do. It's whispered prayers for protection, wisdom, and discernment, a job we can never walk away from and one we would never abandon. There's no manual, only intuition, heart, and a deep, abiding love that compels us forward. And no matter how old they get, nothing brings peace, like knowing they've returned safety to the walls of our home.

This Mother's Day hits a little differently for me. My oldest is graduating high school, and while my heart swells with pride, it also aches with the bittersweet truth that time is a thief. The days that once felt endless have somehow vanished in a blink. A new season of motherhood is on the horizon, requiring letting go just enough and embracing his independence as a sign that we've done something right. Still, if there's one thing I know firsthand, we never stop needing our moms.

As we lean into this season of Vibrant Blooms, our May issue is filled with heartfelt inspiration to help you celebrate the moms in your life. Discover thoughtful and meaningful local gift ideas, dive into the beauty of dahlia gardening, and reflect upon mothers who stir up love from the heart of the kitchen. We'll also show you how to bring spring's color indoors with simple and elegant flower arranging at home. Whether you're honoring your own mother or savoring the journey yourself, this month is a vibrant tribute to the women who make life bloom.

Mothers are the quiet superheroes of everyday life, offering strength, wisdom, and unwavering love. Let's celebrate the women who hold us close, cheer us on, and know us better than anyone else. Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas; you are deeply seen, wildly loved, and endlessly appreciated.

Love,

Originally printed in the April 2025 issue of Simply Local Magazine

Read this article in the digital issue of Simply Local here!

Stephanie Toews

Stephanie is finding joy in the journey of faith, marriage, motherhood, and friendships. Writing is her therapy and one of her favorite creative outlets.

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