Mother's Day 2012

Someday I won't be a mom here on this Earth. I am sure that someday is a long, long, long way off. When this someday comes and my kids are grown, I am sure they will want to see pictures of themselves with their mom, or even photos of just me.

Each Mother's Day, Mark has taken photos of the three of us. The photos are for each of us to cherish in the years too far ahead to focus on or foresee.

I am glad it has become a yearly tradition. The smile on my face in these photos is very real and very accurate of the day as a whole. I am happy.

I am also contented and comfortable with my role as daughter to a mom NOT here on Earth. 

If my mom were alive, I would make her Mother's Day fantastic. I would make it my goal to make her feel appreciated for all she did. When she died, I was 25. I was still not mature enough to truly focus on HER on Mother's Day.

I now believe it takes being a Mom yourself or the wisdom that comes with age to show TRUE appreciation and gratitude to our own Mother's.

I do NOT remember the Mother's Days that occurred in the first few years after my Mom's death. I do not know what I did or where I spent my time. I am sure this is because the memories are too painful. I struggled as a 'motherless daughter' in the year's after her death, and not just on Mother's Day. The one thing I recall about those Mother's Days was  feeling a sense of gratitude for my dear aunts who have played a wonderful role in my life. Those aunts who loved, supported and cherished me all the more after my mom died and left this void in my life.

With a whooping five year's of Motherhood under my belt, I cherish MY Mother's Day.

I make each Mother's Day happy for myself. I do not expect my husband to wait on me hand and foot (although cleaning up the kitchen after brunch with out being asked is truly appreciated), or to plan my perfect day (although I love going out for greasy burgers for supper), or to buy me extravagant gifts (although I loved stopping at Patina on Friday and purchasing the fun fushia neclace I am wearing, and I love the Caribou gift card Mark picks up every year, and I love the homemade cards and craft items the Twinner's create).

I discovered it best to create my own plan for the day and have my husband be there to love, support and appreciate me in those ways husbands/father's do best. I am assured to be doing what makes MY heart happy.

For the past five years, I have hosted Mother's Day Brunch at my house with Mark's mom and/or Chris (and the men too). The menu is one that pleases me (always egg related and always with mimosa) and the table is set with china and crystal and flowers. Last year my Aunt Toot's joined us, and it was a true honor. This year Rachel came, and it was an honor to host the newest mom to the family.

This is exactly what I want to do with my day. I want to honor the role women have played in my life, or the life of those significant to me.

Then I want to take a nap, take some photos, and go out for that greasy burger!

*Dean took the photo of the flowers in our yard under the willow tree!*
*PS - While I was taking my nap, my children also cleaned the broken crystal goblet I dropped on the ceramic tile when getting it out from the downstairs cabinets before lunch. I ran out of time, and knew the guests would not be in that area. I was so proud of them and their desire to "help mom" on Mother's Day.