mothers

another year, another mother's day.  another reminder of the amazing women that add colour and strength to my life.  i truly appreciate them more and more the further i get along this journey of being a mom myself.
my mother-in-law is fantastic.  i love the way she has invested in her family tirelessly for so many years.  she was a young mother who showed fierce commitment and dedication to her husband and three busy sons, and i'm the woman who lives every day with the wonderful man who was shaped by her care.  she is fun, laid back, and caring~ so is he!  he is also secure, grounded and very confident because of the stable presence of his mother (and father, but that's another day) during his formative years.  so grateful for this....and on top of it all, my children have a relationship with a grandma that they know loves them and cares about the details of their lives. 
my own mom is also a huge gift.  she faces every day with fortitude and grace, constantly giving of herself and modeling a wonderful example of love to her family in many ways.  i know now (oh yes i do...) how tricky it is to manage a home.  the balance of food prep, laundry, cleaning (or tidying as it seems to be more lately) homework, family time, friend time, extracurricular activities, spiritual nourishment, groceries, saving money, exercise, conflict management, etc....well~ it can be daunting at times.  my mom modeled it well.  i learned so much, just by watching, and later taking small steps, one-by-one...she shared with me her love of cooking and baking, her nurturing spirit, her compassionate heart and her spark for life.  unfortunately, for her, i didn't acquire her love of dogs or crafts of any sort.  i cannot quilt, make teddy bears, knit a stitch or sew a straight line, and have zero interest in doing so.  i'd rather sleep.  or have a root canal.  kidding...
thanks to these moms for the way they give generously and contribute to the function of our larger family.  means so much!!  we love you!
also, as always, i'm remembering the "first mothers" of my dear brown boys.  pausing again with mixed emotions at the huge stories of how they came to be here, in our home.  of how i came to be their mom.  this weekend i'm celebrating the single greatest gift these mothers gave my boys~ they chose life for them!  i shudder to think of how i would have felt in their circumstances, facing their challenges and life-changing decisions.  so thankful..
then, just when i think my heart might burst, i remember the crew that call me "mom"....how blessed am i???  that's it.  sums it up.  J, H, A, L, H and AJ~ you are my greatest joy!  many days my greatest stress too, but thankfully those days are balanced with the immense blessing to see you grow and live life with such a carefree existence...this makes the endless hours of work so worth it.  when i watch you, i remember my own blissful childhood and realize that it has truly come full circle....love you all to the moon and back!!
Happy Mother's Day!!