Mother’s Day 2020 

I have been pondering mother's day this year. I was a mother's day gift for my mother. In fact, every few years my birthday is actually on Mother's day. I don't know how much of a gift that is for me ( or the lack of dual gifts for both days). I have taken that day off and let my family embrace me over the years. Some years were much better than others. I won't go into details but let's just say, I asked for a divorce one year. Hmm.

But, I have been pondering the art of motherhood. I have 3 daughters, all are mothers. They each mother differently, but are adored by their children, most of which are boys. I think mothers of boys deserve extra bonus points to put up with the different thinking boys have. It has been a joy to watch these women mother their boys. I do have a grand daughter due later this year, a first for our family, and I am very excited. That doesn't diminish the excitement and joy I felt with each of my grandsons births and watching them react with their moms.

This pondering led me to think about the women in my life who have mothered me besides my own mom. I love my mom. She has been my guardian angel now for 18 years. That is hard sometimes to think about. I do talk to her and I am sure that people around me think I am talking to myself sometimes, which is also an evidence of being a bit crazy. ha! (picture of mom)

I also had two wonderful grandmothers. Both were amazing women. My maternal grandmother passed away when I was 6. I remember curling up in my paternal grandfather's lap and telling him that she was dead and I would miss her. I don't think I cried. I do know it was going to be different not having her around. I was sad, but I also knew that I would see her again.

When my paternal Grandmother passed away, I was 12. My mother, sister and I were driving home from visiting her and I knew that she had passed away before we got the phone call from my dad at the hospital telling us she was gone from this earthly life. Again, it was going to be different not having her around and I did cry more, especially when my grandfather cried. She was the love of his life and there was definitely a hole left with her death.

I had leaders in my church that I felt were like mothers to me. They reached out and cared about my achievements and goals. There were prayers offered in my behalf with the struggles of being a teenager. One of those wonderful women was Laura Monk. I have lost touch with her, but I know she had her hands full with her own family of boys (if I remember, there were 4 that I babysat for). Besides her family, she looked after and cared about 12 girls my same age, all in our senior year of high school. She was amazing!

I only had one aunt because my mother only had 1 sister. All of my other aunts were aunts by marriage. I have 5 of those, and they have all had great influence in my life!

My Aunt Norma (only real aunt) taught me how to sew. She was expecting her first child and I spent a week one summer when I was 11 at her house where she taught me how to sew. I remember going shopping to pick out the fabric, making a mock-up of the pants from an old sheet (I hated having to make clothing twice just for fit ugh!), then making the top, putting in the side zipper on the top AND the pants (not a fan of zippers to this day!). But, I did enjoy wearing that outfit to school. "

There have been many friends over the years as well that have had great influence and stepped into my life in some sort of "mother" capacity. Many of them never had children of their own. I have watched how they treasure their nieces and nephews, their friends children, and even me. How blessed I am to have known these women.

Women are incredibly strong when facing life's challenges. It has been a wonderful blessing to ponder on all the "mothers" that have influenced me and my own children. Happy Mother's Day!