Happy Mother's Day

Many years ago, shortly after The Spouse and I got married, I went to school with "an older woman", the mother of a teenage daughter. I remember her telling me that one her favorite ways to spend time was sitting in a cafe with her daughter, reading, writing, and talking together. My goodness, that sounded like the most idyllic thing in the world but something I doubted I'd ever achieve. Even before having kids I had my doubts about parenting a teenager.
So where does Mother's Day find me? In my favorite cafe with The Dark Lord who is writing a paper for English class. He's a little stressed out, so our cafe interlude hasn't been quite idyllic, but given how many kids refuse to go out in public with their parents, I'm pretty pleased. He's even come up with Mother's Day gift for me. I'll have to pay for it, but I don't mind. He's getting his hair cut!

Now if it's tangible gifts I needed, thank goodness for 5 year old girls. The Princess has been steadily cranking out fabulous, sparkly Mother's Day gifts for me and squirreling them away for the better part of a month. There's a necklace made with glitter and styrofoam, a tiny paper fan that has the word love written all over it, an embroidered bookmark, and a card, all wrapped in a bag Sharpie-printed all over with the word MOM. Am I lucky or what?

I have friends struggling to come to terms with infertility and other friends waiting to adopt. I know today can't be easy for them. I don't know what the future holds for these families, but I know that things often unfold in ways we can't even imagine. I am thinking of them today, too, even as I celebrate my own blessings as a mother.