How do you measure a Mother?

How do you measure a mother?
Is she the number of hours her newborn sleeps?  Is she the number of ounces she pumps from her breast?  Is she the number of giggles that come from her children when they play at the park?
How do you measure a mother?
Is she the number of jars her toddler breaks at the grocery store?  Is she the number of "no"s she says in the toy aisle at Target?  Is she the number of time-outs given before nine o'clock in the morning?
How do you measure a mother?
By the tears of her child?  By the number of lunches packed but not eaten?  By the number of times her children tell her they "hate her" or that "she is mean"?
How do you measure a mother?
She is the number of tears she cries at the end of the day.  The number of times she vows to do better tomorrow.  She is the vegetable sides that sit untouched at dinner.  She is the number of pancakes burned when her kids poured syrup in the floor.  She is the guilt she wears on her shoulders. She is the number of prayers uttered before nine o'clock in the morning, and the number of prayers whispered at eleven o'clock at night.  
A mother is measured by the times that she smiles and presses on.  The number of times she counts to ten.  A mother is measured by the tears and giggles of her children, alternating days and situations.  A mother is measured by her grace, by her tenacity, by her steadfastness.  She is measured by her sacrifice, be it sleep, career, time, or health.  A mother is measured by her commitment.
How do you measure a mother?  By the look in her eye when she sees her children.  By the change in her voice when she talks about them.  By the number of moments she provides them in otherwise ordinary days.  You can measure a mother by all the things she does that are asked of her.  And the things that she doesn't that aren't.   
There are a million ways to measure a mother, but the best way is to look at her children, because their smiles speak volumes.